Page 54 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Brussels Bruges Ghent & Antwerp

52  BRUSSELS AREA B Y AREA

theatre and it has been run
by the Toone family ever since;
the owner is the eighth
generation Toone VIII. The
classics are enacted by these
wooden marionettes in the
local Bruxellois dialect, and
occa sionally in French, English,
German or Dutch.

e Théâtre Royal de
la Monnaie
Outdoor seating at restaurants along Rue des Bouchers Place de la Monnaie, 1000 BRU.
q Rue des Bouchers w Théâtre Map 2 D2. Tel (02) 229 1211. @ 29,
38, 46, 47, 48, 63, 66, 71, 86, 88, 95.
Marionettes
Map 2 D2. @ 29, 38, 46, 48, 63, 66, 71, v 3, 4, 32. q De Brouckère.
86, 95. v 3, 4, 32. q De Brouckère, de Toone Open performance times, Tue–Sun;
Gare Centrale. box office: noon–6pm Tue–Sat.
Impasse Ste Pétronille, 66 Rue du Closed Sun, public hols. & 8 on
Like many streets in this area Marché aux Herbes, 1000 BRU. Map 2 written request. ∑ lamonnaie.be
of the city, Rue des Bouchers D2. Tel (02) 511 7137. @ 29, 38, 46,
retains its medieval name, 48, 63, 66, 71, 86, 95. v 3, 4, 32. This theatre was first built in
reminiscent of the time when q Gare Centrale. Open bar: noon– 1817 on the site of a 15th-
this meandering, cobblestoned midnight Tue–Sun; theatre: century mint but, following
street was home to the performance times 4pm Sat, 8:30pm a fire in 1855, only the front
Thu–Sat. Closed Mon, Tue & pub hols.
butchers’ trade. Aware of its & 8 on request, for tour and pediment of the original
historic importance and reservations Tel (02) 217 2753. Neo-Classical building remain.
heeding the concerns of the Museum: Open intervals. After the fire, the theatre was
public, the city council ∑ toone.be redesigned by the architect,
declared this area the Ilot Joseph Poelaert, also respon-
Sacré (sacred islet) in 1960, A popular pub by day, at sible for the imposing Palais de
forbidding any night the top floor of this Justice (see p73).
of the architectural tavern is home to a The original theatre made
façades to be altered puppet theatre. During its historical mark before its
or destroyed, and the time of the Spanish destruction, however, when
commanding those Netherlands (see p36), all on 25 August 1830, a perform-
surviving to be restored. theatres were closed ance of La Muette de Portici
Hence Rue des Bouchers because of the satirical (The Mute Girl) began a nation al
abounds with 17th-century performances by actors rebellion. As the tenor began
stepped gables and aimed at their Latin to sing the nationalist Amour
decorated doorways. Harlequin rulers. This began a Sacré de la Patrie (Sacred love
Today, this pedestrian- puppet fashion for puppet shows, of the homeland), his words
ized thoroughfare is the vicious dialogue incited an already discontented
best known as the “belly of more easily forgiveable from city, fired by the libertarianism
Brussels”, a reference to its inan imate dolls. In 1830, of the revolutions occurring
plethora of cafés and restau- Antoine Toone opened his own in France, into revolt. The
rants offering many types
of cuisine. But the most
impressive sights dur ing
an evening stroll along the
street are the lavish pavement
displays of seafood – piled
high on ice in winter – all
romantically lit by an amber
glow from the streetlamps.
At the end of the street, at
the Impasse de la Fidélité, is an
acknowledgement of sexual
equality. Erected in 1987,
Jeanneke Pis is a coy, cheeky
female version of her “brother”,
the more famous Manneken
Pis (see p49). The original Neo-Classical façade of Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie

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