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Photo: Pbrundel, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The most famous concert venue for opera, ballet and classic music in the city. Its history dates back to the early 18th century, when the first opera was erected at the location of a former mint, the factory in which currency for Brabant was minted, and what it derived its name from. Lack of funding caused it to be neglected however, and a century later the French occupiers decided to build a new opera behind the first one. It is a design from French architect Louis-Emmanuel Aimé Damesme in his characteristic neo-classic style, which can be easily recognized on the facade. After Napoleons demise, the liberated city decided to simply finish the nearly completed building, and it was officially opened in 1819. The opera played an important role in the independence of Belgium. When in the night of 25 August 1830 the French opera The Mute of Portici was performed to celebrate the 58th anniversary of Dutch king Willem I, the audience was moved by the nationalistic themes of the work, and later that night anti-Dutch riots erupted in the city that would eventually lead to the Belgian Revolution, and Belgian independence later in 1830.
The Royal Theatre of La Monnaie is an opera house in central Brussels, Belgium. The National Opera of Belgium, a federal institution, takes the name of this theatre in which it is housed—La Monnaie in French or De Munt in Dutch—referring to the building as well as the opera company. As Belgium's leading opera house, it is one of the few cultural institutions to receive financial support from the Federal Government of Belgium. Other opera houses in Belgium, such as the Vlaamse Opera and the Opéra Royal de Wallonie, are funded by regional governments.
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The female counterpart of Manneken Pis, Jeanneke (an adaptation of an old local name for girls, Jeanne) is a 0.5 m tall bronze statue depicting a squatting and peeing girl with pigtails. Unlike Manneken Pis, Jeanneke is a more recent creation, commissioned in 1985 by Denis-Adrien Debouvrie and inaugurated in 1987. Jeanneke's initial purpose was to lure more visitors to the somewhat neglected neighborhood, but it never became as popular as Manneken Pis, and has been put behind steel bars to protect it against vandalism.
Interactive workshop teaching participants to brew a traditional Belgian beer in one afternoon, in groups up to 10 people. Starting from the basic concepts, the necessary steps to understand the brewing process are explained and demonstrated. The effect of ingredients and brewing process influence on the beer is illustrated through beer tasting, in different phases, up to the final beer. At the end of the workshop, participants take home a textbook, all the knowledge required to brew a Belgian beer, and the necessary beer tasting skills. For those interested, there is also an advanced brew master course offered, which goes into more detail on the technical aspects of beer brewing.
An independent-to-the-bone cinema showcasing the more esoteric side of cinema - films which would not be shown elsewhere are generally shown here. A Korean Ultraman rip-off, a Pakistani documentary or a bleak Chilean cinema vérité flick? Only at Nova. Nova Cinema, 3 rue Arenberg-Arenbergstraat.
Run by the cooperative nouveau cinema. Screens interesting films in their original version with French and Dutch subtitles.
An arthouse cinema and exhibition venue within the Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries. Cinéma Galeries, 26 Galerie de la Reine - Koninginnegalerij.
A traditional Brussels' puppet theater, and an authentic café. Housed in a historic building with brick walls and tiles, crumbling plaster and wooden benches, the theater will give you an impression of what Brussels theater is like. The shows are only in French, but you don't need to understand what's being said to enjoy them. A variety of local beers is being served during shows, and afterwards of course.