Brussels Gay Friendly (EN) E-Book

Christophe Cordier

• Herausgeber: Renaissance du livre
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Französisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Seitenzahl: 146

Beschreibung

Let yourself be guided by the hand, the eye and the hart. Brussels and its thousand faces welcomes you with open arms for an unforgetable moment, full of rich memories you won’t resist coming back. As Belgium has been one of the most progressive countries talking about marriage and adoption for homosexuals, its capital, Brussels has become one of the most gay friendly cities in Europe. With its many bars, restaurants, nightspots, shops, museums and events, Brussels is a welcoming place that invites you to party 'til dawn. True to the reputation of the capital, Brussels' gay scene is discrete, varied and warm, as illustrated by portraits of the city's inhabitants included in this Brussels Gay Friendly guide. Written by Christophe Cordier, regular collaborator with Têtu magazine, this guide lists the best "gay" hotspots in the capital as well as the essential tourist sites (the Grand-Place, the Dansaert area, the Cinquentenaire, the Sablon...). The book is divided into three main parts : addresses and “gay” tips (Bars, Nightlife, Restaurants, Shopping, Cruising, Sport and Beauty, Events, Accommodation), touristic information and portraits. It is also available in French.

Leseprobe

BRUSSELS

GAY FRIENDLY

Christophe Cordier

Foreword

The introduction in Belgium in recent years of pioneering laws on homosexual marriage and adoption have confirmed Brussels as one of Europe’s most gay friendly cities. Located at the centre of the Amsterdam – Cologne – Paris – London rectangle, Brussels prides itself on a way of life, which makes many of its neighbours envious.

The capital city of 500 million Europeans, Brussels boasts a rich cultural mix with a multitude of neighbourhoods each of which features a personality of its own. The city is split into two main parts, the upper and lower town.

In the lower town, the Saint-Jacques neighbourhood, which includes Rue du Marché au Charbon, has become the heart of Brussels gay life, though there is a gay presence all over the city. A few blocks away, lies the Dansaert area, the place for fashion and design and a neighbourhood that houses many well-known designer boutiques as well as those in the making. The Sablon and Grand Place offer visitors a multitude of places to hang out, have a drink in an outdoor patio and discover a little of Brussels’ signature art de vivre. From the Sablon, Rue Blaes and Rue Haute lead to the Marolles, where you are invited to have a rummage and to wander aimlessly while getting to know the city.

Just beyond the boulevards commonly known as the “Little Belt” lies the upper part of town, bordered by Boulevard de Waterloo with its luxury boutiques. One step further lies Matongé, the lively African neighbourhood that includes the St. Boniface quarter. Further south, the trendy Châtelain neighbourhood goes slumming on Wednesdays with a market that stretches late into the evening. The rest of the time, this bobo quarter is a must, the embodiment of Brussels dolce vita, full of recommended spots for eating and drinking as well as galleries and trendy shops. Located nearby, just a stones’ throw from the Bois de la Cambre, which in turn leads to the cherished Forêt de Soignes, the Brugmann neighbourhood is popular among expats. While its bars and restaurants might have a reputation for snobbishness, they are nonetheless treasured by those in the know.

Allow yourself to be guided by your senses and sentiment. On every street corner, discover Gothic monuments, comic-book bubbles, Art nouveau façades, talented stylists and designers, gourmet delicacies and surrealism. Brussels, with its multitude of faces, welcomes you with open arms, ready to make your stay so memorable you’ll want to come back time and again.

Frederick Boutry

Places to visit

Grand Place

“The most beautiful market place in the world” is what Victor Hugo wrote of the Grand Place. The sight of the square is a pure marvel to behold. The jewel of the city, the Grand Place is an absolute must. It is at once crossroads, meeting place and massive forum, where every language of the world can be heard. Take the time to take it all in, to stroll its length and breadth, to eavesdrop on tourists in the throes of blissful admiration or the explanations of guides, or to listen to the clicking and shuttering of cameras…

Even the Bruxellois experience the hush that inevitably descends on those who pass through it. The square is always busy, sometimes playing host to a flower market or to special light displays (like during “Plaisirs d’Hiver” in December and every evening in the summer). It becomes a theatre for Ommegang (the historic reenactment of the “Joyeuse Entrée” of Charles V in Brussels in 1549, held each year early July) and a garden when it hosts a huge flower carpet (every two years on even years). There are concerts as well as fairs.

Almost anything goes on in Grand Place, except demonstrations. Note that ten days before Gay Pride in May, a mini-pride, escorted by a band and led by the municipal authorities, leaves from the Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall) to join in a procession to the nearby Manneken Pis, who is kitted out in his own little costume especially designed for the occasion!

On that day, the Hôtel de Ville proudly flies the rainbow flag. We won’t go into details about the architecture of the beautiful houses that line the Grand Place, except to say that they owe their consistency to the bombing of Brussels, ordered by the army of Louis XIV in 1695. As it was the economic heart of the city at the time, the entire square was rebuilt by different guilds after the bombardment, each one competing with the other in its ambition to build the most remarkable looking house. The majestic Hôtel de Ville, topped by the statue of St. Michael, patron of the city, faces the Maison du Roi (the King’s House) which houses an old fashioned but interesting museum devoted to the history of Brussels, the Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles. Most of the guild houses are in Renaissance style, except the unmistakably Gothic Hôtel de Ville.

You could spend hours studying each façade, something that can be enjoyed from a vantage point in the middle of the square, sitting on the ground at dusk. It’s a truly magical moment.

Galeries St. Hubert

Right at the entrance to the Grand Place, these sumptuous galleries betray a taste for the covered passageways of the 19th century. They were the first of its kind in Europe. They have always been dedicated to the sale of luxury goods, and at one time, you even had to pay to get in!

It was once a place of prestige and parade, and still houses fifty shops, while the upper floors are occupied by seventy private apartments. If you find yourself fantasising about having a place there, spare a thought for the poor occupants who can’t open their windows because of the noise coming from the galleries. But it’s still magical. The whole place is managed by the representatives of the families who were behind its construction. Six million people walk through them every year and yet the management tries to ensure the commercial space preserves its exclusive nature. You won’t see any news agents in these halls! The galleries also house a theatre, a cinema, a former theatre (the Vaudeville) that now houses a coffee shop, exclusive retailers of luxury brands (Delvaux leather goods, Longchamp, Lagardère), speciality shops from another era (cutlery, a glove-makers), chocolate shops (Godiva, Neuhaus, Corné Port-Royal), a magnificent library (Tropisme), and a handful of typical Brussels restaurants and cafés (Mokafé, La Taverne du Passage). A meal there is a safe bet.

However, beware of the Rue des Bouchers (accessed via the Galerie des Princes), an area of the Îlot Sacré where restaurants abound. We strongly advise you not to eat there! It is a major tourist trap. Fortunately, they’re not all the same. Some restaurants, such as Aux Armes de Bruxelles have managed to retain their authenticity. Exiting the galleries by Rue de l’Écuyer you’ll pass Arcadi, a nice little eatery with a variety of quiches and salads on the menu. You’re now just steps from the Cathedral of Saints Michael and Gudula, which was completely renovated on the occasion of the wedding of Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde in 1999. The building hosts all major royal events. A rather pleasant surprise amidst all the modern, soulless buildings, this is a truly majestic church with its incongruous Gothic architecture. The small park sitting at the foot of the church is a nice addition, bringing a welcome bit of green to a largely concrete space.

Manneken Pis

Belgium, it is said, is a surreal country. This is largely due to a political structure that is incomprehensible to most foreigners, but it has also earned this moniker from an artistic daring (this is, after all, the land of Paul Delvaux and René Magritte) as well as for its sense of humour. Otherwise how can you explain the spectacle of a little boy, unable to refrain from urinating despite throngs of passersby, having become the symbol of Brussels? Starting out from the Grand Place, you’ll find him at the end of Rue de l’Étuve (to the left of the Hôtel de Ville).

Your first reaction will probably be to exclaim, “He’s so small!” Yes, he’s only 55.5 centimetres, but size doesn’t matter, does it? At home here since 1619, he is the creation of Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder. This manneken (meaning boy, in Brussels dialect) symbolises the freedom of thought of the inhabitants.

Legends about the Manneken Pis abound: according to one, he peed on the fuse of a bomb that threatened to destroy Brussels during the siege in the Middle Ages. Another legend maintains that he was the son of a bourgeois who went astray during a procession, and would eventually be found by his panicked father, urinating in the corner of Rue de l’Étuve. Another version tells the story of the young Duke Godefroid taken by his father onto the battlefield. The sight of the boy peeing quietly while the battle raged was said to have galvanised the army. But we won’t go into all the stories: there are just too many!

The fountain has a turbulent history. It’s not hard to imagine what kind of gritty humour it was subjected to… We discourage you from trying to drink from the fountain. Since the 17th century, it has been a tradition for foreign delegations visiting Brussels to give a suit as a gift. His wardrobe is particularly rich and varied with sportswear, gala wear, costumes…, enough to make anyone green with envy. A large part of his wardrobe is on show at the Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles on the Grand Place. For Gay Pride in May, he is kitted out in a very becoming little orange leather outfit.

But even when dressed, the Manneken doesn’t hide the tool that made him famous and he’s always up to the task at hand. In the immediate vicinity, shops have happily aligned themselves to the theme, with each souvenir on sale more kitsch than the last.

Sablon Marolles

Be warned, you are now entering a very trendy neighbourhood! The Sablon is full of antique shops and art galleries, while also playing host to renowned chocolatiers (Pierre Marcolini, Godiva and Wittamer) and milliners (Elvis Pompilio and Jean-Paul Knott for example). Note that there are two Sablons: the “Grand” is the square that descends from the foot of the Gothic church and hosts an antique market on Saturday and Sunday mornings, while the “Petit” (behind the church) is a pleasant garden, dotted with statues of scholars and humanists. The Egmont Palace, which is adjoined by a park of the same name, lies behind it. It’s very nice in the summer and features a restaurant in an orangery that does a nice brunch on Saturday and Sunday.

At the foot of the Sablon, take a walk down the narrow Rue de Rollebeek and check out all its bustling eateries (though it’s a bit of a tourist trap). At the bottom, turn left towards the church of la Chapelle and from there take Rue Blaes and Rue Haute to get to the Marolles neighbourhood. If you came to Brussels for Démence, you’ll certainly end up there at some point or another, as the disco is located on Rue Blaes, an area in the process of “boboisation”. Nevertheless, you can still feel some of that old Brussels atmosphere, particularly on the Place du Jeu de Balle with its daily flea market. Sunday is the day the square is at its most animated, with the goings-on extending well beyond 1pm. The morning after Démence, tired and dishevelled-looking clubbers can sometimes be seen at dawn, intersecting with fresh-faced families on a shopping spree, no doubt looking a bit out of place! The area is full of nice little shops (La Vaisselle au Kilo), decoration or furniture shops (New Dewolf), trendy restaurants and timeless cafés (l’Idiot de Village). In the middle of Rue Haute, an outdoor elevator takes you to the Palais de Justice, the largest law court in the world, designed by architect Joseph Poelaert and inaugurated in 1883. This megalomaniac building symbolises the power of justice.

Today, the building is a burden on the State, unable to fund its modernisation. As a result, its scaffolding looks it’s there to stay. It remains an impressive building that looms over the city and where, from its terrace, the view stretches for miles.

The Royal Quarter

Metro station “Parc” is a good setting off point for exploring this area which centralises the various bodies of Belgian political power (Palais de la Nation, House and Senate). Facing the 16 Rue de la Loi (the seat of the Federal Government) is the Parc Royal, the downtown green lung designed with a view to Masonic symbolism. This park is a rendez-vous for joggers… and lovers of outdoor fun: after dark, bushes can become very lively! On the other side of the park, check out the Royal Palace (opened in August). The king doesn’t actually live in it, though his office can be found there. The Belgian monarchy is not as glamorous as the Windsors or the Grimaldis, and is certainly less popular than in the past but nevertheless, it is inseparable from the country and comes with a number of accessories (family photos can be found, for example, on boxes of Delacre biscuits that delight royalist collectors).

You can learn all about the royal family and the country’s history by visiting the BELvue Museum, situated next to the Palace. It’s an opportunity to learn more about Prince Amedeo, the very sexy grand-son of Albert II and Paola, the current sovereigns. At the back of the Palace lies the Place Royale, laid in the 18th century in neoclassical style and organised around the church of St. Jacques sur Coudenberg. To the right of the church, Rue de Namur takes you uptown to the area around Porte de Namur and Avenue Louise, with its multitude of trendy shopping options (including the recent Abercrombie & Fitch and Superdry).

Place Royale is now dedicated to culture and museums. The latest is the Magritte Museum, dedicated to the famous surrealist painter. Thanks to its enormous success, the museum has greatly contributed to the reputation of Brussels. The permanent collection is regularly supplemented by works loaned from abroad, and you may like to catch a glimpse of more famous pieces like The Empire of Lights or This is not a pipe. In addition to a very thorough tourist information point (BIP), the square is home to the Museum of Ancient Art.

A little further down is Rue Montagne de la Cour, where the Musical Instrument Museum is located in the building of the former Old England shops, a masterpiece of Art nouveau. From the restaurant on the top floor (accessible without having to go through the museum), you can enjoy a beautiful view of Brussels. If you continue down Rue Montagne de la Cour, you’ll get to the Palais des Beaux-Arts (BOZAR), designed by Victor Horta. The acoustics of the concert hall is remarkable. The BOZAR also regularly hosts high quality exhibitions.

Brussels Art nouveau

Belgium didn’t escape the architectural revolutions that shook Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In Brussels, this search for a new style is described as Art nouveau and Victor Horta is its most illustrious proponent. The architects sought harmony between building structure, decoration and furniture. To give you an idea of what that means, we recommend a visit to the Horta Museum on Rue Américaine in Ixelles, the former residence of the illustrious architect. The overall effect is airy, warm and consistent. Another feature of Art nouveau is the use of the commonly-found materials of industrialisation: iron, glass and cement. In Brussels, the development of Art nouveau is also linked to the emergence of a bourgeoisie consciousness of prestige. They abandoned the city centre, which they found too common, settling instead in the outlying communities plotted along large avenues.

This is why talented architects flourished in Ixelles, Avenue Louise and its adjoining streets (Rue Defacqz and Rue de Livourne), but also in Saint-Gilles (including Rue Vanderschrick, near Chaussée de Waterloo and Porte de Hal). Schaerbeek also counts a number of remarkable homes, like the Maison Autrique on Chaussée de Haecht. Nearby, Avenue Louis Bertrand is full of interesting buildings and leads to Parc Josaphat with its very Belle Époque atmosphere. Squares Ambiorix and Marie-Louise and their surroundings also count several remarkable Art nouveau houses. For Art nouveau enthusiasts, there are set routes specifically dedicated to this architectural style. Note that once fallen into disuse, Art nouveau has suffered at the hands of a destructive rage. Though today this heritage is considered an asset to be carefully preserved, it was once scorned by developers who, in the late 1960s, demolished Horta’s beautiful Maison du Peuple at the foot of the Sablon, replacing it with a particularly ugly tower. Brussels still bears the scars of this devastation of heritage (which even has a name: “Brusselisation”), but is anxious to save what it can. The upcoming opening of Fin de Siècle, a museum dedicated to the development of Art nouveau and Belgian creative vitality from the period, was recently announced.

Dansaert Area