Rediscover Audrey Hepburn with a tour of her childhood home – Ixelles
It’s been 25 years since the unforgettable and charismatic actress Audrey Hepburn left us. A huge Hollywood star that few people know was born in our beautiful capital and more precisely in the commune of Ixelles at 48 rue Keyenveld.
On May 4th, we will celebrate the anniversary of her birth in Ixelles, and a beautiful itinerary and project are organised for the occasion.
Rediscover the traces of this Hollywood icon with the support of the commune of Ixelles. Take a tour to discover her childhood home, her school and early show houses and learn more about her legacy as an actress, pop and fashion icon, a dancing queen and humanitarian.
Today Audrey Hepburn is still strong in our hearts. She is part of the rich tapestry of women who have become iconic with their beauty, grace and talent, such as Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly and Brigitte Bardot.
Audrey Hepburn was born on May 4th, 1929. Joseph Loute, her father, was the director of the Brussels branch of the Bank of England and it was here he met Hepburn’s mother, Ella Van Heemstra. They married in 1926 and moved to Ixelles at 48 rue Keyenveld, which was at the time, the Brussels municipality of students, artists and intellectuals.
While she was originally destined for dance before joining the theatre in the late 1940, the success of the play (Gigi) in 1951 on Broadway opened the doors of the cinema to her.
In 1953, at age 23, she received the Oscar for Best Actress for “Roman Holiday“. This started a spiral of success for her where she went on to win “Sabrina” (1954), “Diamonds on Couches” (in 1961), “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961), , “My Fair Lady” (1964) and “War and Peace” after the novel by Léon Tolstoy.
After she ended her successful acting career, she devoted herself to humanitarian aid for children. She travelled multiple times to Africa and Latin America for UNICEF, becoming their ambassador in 1981.
Good to know:
- Four guided tours and walks will take place (10:00, 13:00, 15:00, 18:00).
- Other activities are planned during this day.
- A screening of a film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” at Librebook at 18.30 hrs. Drink included.
- Ixelles intends to restore the commemorative plaque at 48 rue Keyenveld in the coming weeks.
