Page 71 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Belgium & Luxembourg

BRUSSELS  69

o BELvue Museum architecture. Architect
and the Coudenberg Paul Saintenoy gave full
rein to his imagina tion
Place des Palais 7, 1000 BRU.
City Map 2 E4. Tel (02) 5004554. @ 27, when he designed these
29, 34, 38, 54, 63, 64, 65, 66, 71, 80, 95. shop premises for the Old
q Trone, Parc, Porte de Namur. England company in 1899.
v 92, 93. Open 9:30am–5pm Tue–Fri, The façade is made entirely
10am–6pm Sat & Sun. Closed 25 Dec, of glass and elaborate
1 Jan. & 7 0 = ∑ belvue.be wrought iron. There is a
domed gazebo on the roof,
With its collection of paintings, and a turret to one side.
documents and other royal Surprisingly, it was only
memorabilia, the BELvue in the 1990s that a listed
Museum charts the history buildings policy was adopted
of the Belgian monarchy from in Brussels, which has secured
independence in 1830 to the treasures such as this. In
present day. The museum is 2000, it became the new
housed in the former Hôtel Musée des Instruments de Unique marble floor in the state room,
Bellevue, an 18th-century Neo- Musique (MIM). Palais de Charles de Lorraine
Classical build ing. The collection of the MIM
Belgian history, starting with began in the 19th century a Palais de Charles
the 1830 uprising, is displayed when the state bought 80 de Lorraine
here through 1,500 unique ancient and exotic instruments.
historical documents, film The collection was doubled in Place du Musée 1, 1000 BRU.
fragments, photos and 1876 when King Léopold II City Map 2 D4. Tel (02) 5195372.
@ 27, 29, 38, 63, 65, 66, 71, 95.
objects. An underground don ated a gift of 97 Indian q Gare Centrale, Parc. v 92, 93.
archaelogical site and musical instruments presented Open 10am–5pm first Sat in month.
museum, the Coudenberg, to him by a maharaja. A museum Closed last week in Dec.
is located in the grounds of displaying all of these artifacts 8 for details call (02) 5195311.
the BELvue Museum. opened in 1877, and by 1924
it boasted 3,300 pieces and Set behind a Neo-Classical
was recognized as a leader in façade are the few surviving
its field. Today, the collection rooms of the palace of Charles
contains more than 6,000 de Lorraine, Governor of the
items and includes many fine Austrian Netherlands and a keen
examples of wind, string and patron of the arts. Few original
keyboard instruments from features remain, as the palace
medieval times to the present. was ransacked by marauding
Visitors to the museum are French troops in 1794. The bas-
provided with headphones reliefs at the top of the stairway,
which allow them to hear representing earth, air, fire and
the sounds produced by water, reflect Charles de
many of the instruments Lorraine’s interest in alchemy.
on display. Among the Most spectacular of all the
chief attractions are original features is the 28-point
The broad and elegant Neo-Classical façade prototype instruments star, set in the floor of the
of BELvue Museum by Adolphe Sax, circular state room. Each
Belgian inventor of the points is made
p Musée des of the saxophone from a dif ferent type of
Belgian marble,
(see p209); mini
Instruments violins favoured taken from his
de Musique by street personal mineral
musicians; a collection. Belgian
Rue Montagne de la Cour 2, violin-maker’s marble was a much
1000 BRU. City Map 2 E4. Tel (02) studio; and a sought-after
5450130. @ 27, 29, 38, 63, 65, 66, 71, superb group The dome of Old England, home material used to
95. q Gare Centrale, Parc. v 92, 93. of mechanical to the MIM construct St Peter’s
Open 9:30am–5pm Tue–Fri, 10am– instruments,
5pm Sat & Sun. & 8 7 0 = Basilica in Rome.
∑ mim.be including the componium, a The rooms contain a range of
19th-century barrel organ that 18th-century furnishings and
Once a department store, composes its own music as it exhibits representing intellectual
the building known as plays. There is also a restaurant life during the Enlightenment.
Old England is a striking on the top floor with fine The palace also houses the
showpiece of Art Nouveau views over Brussels. royal library.

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