Horta Inside Out: A treasure trove of Art Nouveau

Congregated iron, stain glassed windows, curves that keep on going; Victor Horta was ahead of his time, even when his time was all about innovation. He used the newly available materials from the industrial age and created styles that became internationally recognised as Art Nouveau – with Horta being one of its most famous names. Now, Horta Inside Out gives you the chance to see why this architect and designer earned his title by venturing into his various designed buildings – many not usually open to the public!

Art Nouveau townhouses

On the first Saturday of each month, you can select from the vast range of townhouses and mansions on offer and go inside to see them for one unfettered hour and see them in their full glory. Departures are possible at 10.30, 11.00, 12.00 or 13.30 and a range of houses are on offer – including the Villa Empain.

Walk, bike or ride around the Nouveau heritage

As with many architectural buildings, the front and the inside are usually two separate entities of the same design. So should you wish to get a full facade of either Art Nouveau or just Victor Horta, you can take various tours around Brussels that will see you pass many of the most beautiful and famous buildings of the style. And the mode of transport is yours for the choosing: you can walk, bike, or ride a coach. The different transports offer different roots and incursion with the heritage, so maybe a combination is best for a full in out.

Performances, music and dance – in Horta House?

That’s right, ARTONOV Festival aims to generate a convergence between the performing arts, such as music, dance, fashion and theatre, and the visual arts, thus encouraging an interdisciplinary approach. Artists will reflect on the way art and performance can interact with architectural space. For the fourth edition of the ARTONOV Festival the program will focus on the theme « Architecture of the ritual » in places such as the Horta-Lambeaux Pavilion of Human Passions, Wolfers Store of the Cinquantenaire Museum, the Autrique House and the Horta Museum. Indeed, Victor Horta was a freemason and the symbols and rituals were an important source of inspiration for his work.

Discover Horta and his works

Various buildings which Horta designed will be featuring special exhibitions about the designer and his works. You can relive his designs and ideas not just by reading texts or looking at models, but browsing the nuances of each of these buildings he made – many of which will have guided tours.

These activities are just a small host of the handful of events on offer, and those wishing to know not only the movement better but Brussels, would be advised to check out some of the places that make up the fabric of the city.