Heritage days in Belgium: Free open-door events and activities across the country

A highlight of the cultural season every autumn is the heritage days programme in each of Belgium’s three regions. This year, Wallonia, Flanders and Brussels serve up a feast of activities for the free Europe-wide initiative.

Wallonia: Journées du Patrimoine - 13 & 14 September

The Walloon Region’s edition this year is particularly mouth-watering as it focuses on gourmet heritage; a theme that plays to the strength of the south’s rich culinary traditions.

With almost 300 activities, including 20 in East Belgium, the programme is designed to attract a wide audience with offbeat venues, a variety of activities for all ages and a smorgasbord of tastings. It also serves as a journey through time by exploring the history of food and drink, from Neanderthal times to the introduction of cocoa in the 18th century and the mealtime customs of workers in industrial sites as well as bourgeois families.

For Valérie Lescrenier, Wallonia’s minister of tourism, heritage and childhood, the annual event encourages the public to visit sites for the first time. Many places are exceptionally open for the occasion, including vineyards, abbeys, farms and distilleries. “The festive weekend will bring alive our heritage sites,” she says.

Philippe Mattart, director of Wallonia’s agricultural promotion agency Apaq-W, points out that heritage is not confined to buildings and architecture. “It’s also gastronomic and reflects the local culture and values.” These include the growing importance for consumers of the short-circuit economy and biodiversity, he adds.

One of the main attractions of this 32nd edition is the Table de Terroir label’s invitation to five top Walloon chefs to showcase regional produce in five exceptional heritage sites. Some 600 tastings are organised each day from 12.00-14.00.

• Brabant Walloon – Villers Abbey: Didier Vercruysse (7Ici, Chaumont-Gistoux)
• Hainaut – Distillerie de Biercée: Jérémy Loewer (La Grange des Légende,s Biercée)
• Liège – Abbaye de Stavelot: Sylvain Deltour (La Ferme du Hélivy, Jalhay)
• Luxembourg – Fourneau Saint Michel: Florent Collignon (L’Ôthentique, Han-sur-Lesse)
• Namur – Château Ferme de Treignes-Eco-Musée du Viroin: Patrick Wouters (Daillyti, Dailly)

Flanders: Open Monumentendag - 14 September

In Flanders, visitors are invited to explore the region’s architectural gems from a range of periods. Titled In stijl! (In Style), this 37th edition sees Antwerp take centre stage as the guest city, staging more than 170 activities in over 40 buildings, from Gothic to Modernist.

The focus on architectural heritage encourages everyone to take the time to appreciate façades, buildings, parks and other places they usually pass by without a second glance. On the programme are walks, cycle tours, sneak-peeks inside private homes and restoration sites. As usual, the free event is family-friendly with special activities for children.

One of the themes of the heritage day is ‘Heilige Huisjes’ (Sacred Houses) as part of a spotlight on the region’s religious treasures. Buildings on show include the Baroque Carolus Borromeus Church in the centre of Antwerp and the Art Deco Sint-Laurentius church in Wilmarsdonk with its soaring tower rising above the incongruous setting of the city’s busy port.

As an early teaser to the event, five churches in Antwerp are transformed into cinemas for a one-off film evening on 11 September.

“Antwerp proudly carries its history in stone, glass, and steel. From the Gothic grandeur of the cathedral to the iconic Port House that defines our skyline. From modernist gems in the Exhibition District to the proud Renaissance-style City Hall,” says Antwerp mayor Els van Doesburg proudly.

“The city’s religious heritage will reveal stories of silence, splendour, and conviction,” she adds. “I warmly invite everyone in Flanders to come and experience this.”

As a continuing nod to the Art Deco centenary in 2025, architecture from the stylish 20th-century period is equally on display. The Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, the Millionaire’s Quarter and Ghent’s Van Eyck swimming pool all feature in.

Among other themes are military architecture, parks and gardens, such as Gaasbeek Castle’s grounds and historic city green spaces.

Monumentendag in figures:

• 1,132 activities (1,107 in 2024)
• 858 activities linked to the theme ‘In Style’
• 834 locations, with 239 participating for the first time and 339 exceptionally open to the public
• 118 private homes opening their doors
• Host city Antwerp takes the lead with no fewer than 159 activities (124 in 2024)
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Brussels: Heritage Days - 20 & 21 September

Unsurprisingly, the Belgian capital has chosen the theme ‘Art Deco, the Roaring Twenties, the Crash Years’ for the 37th edition of its Heritage Days.

The weekend is a cultural highlight that attracts thousands of visitors to guided tours of the rich architecture of Brussels' private and public buildings, institutions and fine local properties.

As part of the 2025 Art Deco Year, Urban Brussels promises a new perspective on the artistic movement, delving not only into the movement’s well-known aesthetics and luxury, but also its urban, architectural, sociological and human dimensions.

It aims to highlight a broad range of heritage features, from buildings, façades and interiors to furniture, collections, intangible heritage and public spaces. The programme also incorporates themes pertinent to today’s society such as gender and inclusion, as well as links to colonial propaganda.

With Urban Brussels dedicated to preserving the city’s heritage, the programme showcases the importance of restoration. “Art Deco was forward-thinking, yet retained a strong connection to craftsmanship and the human scale. It combined modern comfort with classical influences and monumental beauty,” explains Sarah Lagrillière, the organisation’s deputy general manager.

The modernity of Art Deco, which adds to its enduring appeal, is another key motif, she adds.

The House of European History in Parc Léopold is one of the city’s outstanding Art Deco institutions. During Heritage Days, guided tours focus on the fascinating history of the museum building as well as the current permanent exhibition about the role of women in European heritage.

Other highlights include a tour of the City Museum's collections through the prism of Art Deco. It will reveal the secrets of a masterpiece by Wolfers Frères: an elegant coffee and tea service that are emblematic objects displaying the refinement of the movement.

The public is also invited to visit the Bruxella 1238 archaeological site, located under the Brussels Stock Exchange. It is testament to the city's history thanks to the carefully-preserved remains of a former 13th-century Franciscan convent.

Photos: ©Openmonumentendag (main image); Val Saint-Lambert, Serain (Liège); Aperitieflezing architectuur in het duinlandschap; Art Deco architecture ©Urban Brussels