Sitting atop Coudenberg Hill, monumental and yet discreet, the Brussels Centre for Fine Arts is Belgium’s major cultural venue. In 1913, Queen Elisabeth and King Albert I expressed their desire to build “a temple devoted to Music and the Arts”. Designed by renowned Belgian architect Victor Horta (1861-1947), construction began after the First World War. Upon returning from his stay in the United States, Horta abandoned his flamboyant, industrial Art Nouveau style for the more monumental and geometric language of Art Deco. Inaugurated in 1928, the Centre for Fine Arts is a testimony to this aesthetic revolution. For nearly a century, the centre has hosted the art world’s crème de la crème, and it is where most of Bozar’s cultural and artistic activities are held.
Find out more about the architecture of the Centre for Fine Arts
The design and construction of the Centre for Fine Arts were a challenge for Belgian architecture in the early 20th century.
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From performances and occupation to accountancy exams and a hairdressing salon
