The second ANTE Festival will return this autumn to showcase the architecture of the 'long 19th Century' across Brussels.
The event, announced on Tuesday by organiser Explore.Brussels, will focus on the period from 1780 to 1920 which, it says, helped shape much of the Belgian capital’s present-day urban landscape.
Marked by major urban, social, architectural and technical change, the era remains one of the foundations of Brussels as it is known today.
The festival will take place across the Brussels-Capital Region over the weekends of 3-4 October and 10-11 October 2026.
It will highlight architectural styles that are often overshadowed by Art Nouveau and Art Deco, ranging from neoclassicism and eclecticism to the early roots of modernism.
The programme will feature guided tours led by specialists and heritage enthusiasts, including access to interiors that are usually closed to the public.
Buildings set to open exceptionally for the festival include the former palace of the Count of Flanders, now home to the Court of Audit, Les Amis Philanthropes masonic lodge, the Maison Hap; the former CGER headquarters, now Hôtel Fleur de Ville, and Hôtel Boël.
Also included are the former palace of the Marquis Charles Vander Noot d’Assche and Hôtel Lowenstein, which houses the Council of State, the former Jules Waucquez & Cie premises, now the Archives of the City of Brussels, and Hôtel Spoelberch de Lovenjoul, the residence of the French ambassador.
The programme will also include architectural walks through several Brussels neighbourhoods, themed talks and activities designed for a wide audience.
The ANTE Festival is the autumn counterpart to the BANAD Festival, which is held in spring and focuses on Art Nouveau and Art Deco.
