The “ANTE Festival”?
Often eclipsed by the international fame of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, 19th-century architecture forms one of the foundations of the current Brussels landscape. With the second edition of the ANTE Festival, Explore.Brussels invites the public to rediscover this «long nineteenth century» (1780-1920), a period of profound transformation that saw the birth of the neighbourhoods, buildings and urban shapes that still define the capital today.
During two weekends, the 3rd & 4th and 10th & 11th of October 2026, the ANTE Festival will offer an immersion into the heart of this prolific period, from neoclassicism to eclecticism, passing through the major architectural and technical developments that announced modernity.
Staying true to the formula that has made Explore.Brussels events so successful, the ANTE Festival will offer high-quality guided tours, led by specialists and heritage enthusiasts, providing an opportunity to explore interiors that are usually closed to the public. The programme will be complemented by architectural walks through several Brussels neighbourhoods, thematic conferences and activities designed for all ages.
Among the venues opening their doors exceptionally are the former palace of the Count of Flanders (Court of Auditors), the Masonic lodge Les Amis Philanthropes, the Hap House, the former headquarters of the CGER (Hôtel Fleur de Ville), the Boël mansion, the former palace of the Marquis Charles Vander Noot d’Assche and the Lowenstein Mansion (Council of State), the former offices of Jules Waucquez & Cie (Brussels City Archives) and the Spoelberch de Lovenjoul Mansion (Residence of the French Ambassador).
Throughout this second edition, Explore.Brussels aims to reveal another side to Brussels’ history: that of a formative century, marked by profound urban, social, architectural and technical changes, which paved the way for the emergence of the major movements of the 20th century. The ANTE Festival thus serves as a reminder that Brussels’ architectural richness is not limited to Art Nouveau, but has its roots in a period of experimentation and transformation that remains largely unknown.
The ANTE Festival will take place from 3 to 11 October 2026 across the Brussels-Capital Region, notably in Brussels City, Etterbeek, Forest, Ixelles, Laeken, Saint-Gilles, Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Schaerbeek, Uccle and Woluwé-Saint-Pierre.
Organisers
The ANTE Festival is organised by Explore.Brussels and its member associations: ARAU, Arkadia, Brussels Chatterguides and Pro Velo. This network of guided tour organisations is joining forces for the occasion with numerous partners active in the field of heritage in Brussels, Belgium and abroad, so that together they can showcase the capital’s architectural treasures in their entirety.
