The Brussels Renaissance Festival (BRF), an annual event that brings to life the atmosphere of 16th-century Brussels, will take place on the streets of the Belgian capital from 18 May to 4 July, visit.brussels announced on Monday.
This year’s festival spans a longer period and features various events meant to transport visitors back to the 16th century, “undoubtedly the most prosperous period in Brussels’ history,” the organisers say.
The festivities kick off on 18 May, with 'Family Day' at Coudenberg, site of Charles V’s former palace, offering costumes, Spanish fencing workshops, and crossbow shooting to immerse visitors in the Renaissance experience.
Numerous venues across the city, including the Porte de Hal, the Maison du Roi, and the Erasmus House and Beguinage in Anderlecht, will host guided tours and activities.
The newly renovated KBR Museum will reopen on 23 May, offering guided tours to explore the museum’s new scenography and the manuscripts of the Dukes of Burgundy.
The Brussels Renaissance Festival will conclude, as per tradition, with the Ommegang on 2 and 4 July, featuring 1,400 costumed participants in a spectacle at the Grand-Place.
A 'Renaissance Village' will also be set up in the Sablon district, where the public will be able to watch artisans and knights in action.
