november-2010

IMAGE GEORGES DE KINDER Restored
///BELGIUM’S HISTORIC BUILDINGS
58 Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine November 2010
glory
The rebirth of art deco masterpiece Villa Empain in
Brussels earlier this year added another jewel to Belgium’s
garland of historical buildings. Guy Dittrich applauds the
country’s attempts to nurture its architectural heritage
In the heart of the Flemish province
of Limburg, about an hour’s drive
east of Brussels, is Bokrijk – a
magical experience where historic
villages are brought to life. But Bokrijk
isn’t about replication; each building was
meticulously dismantled and brought here
in the 1950s, from timber-framed homes to
simple thatched farmsteads and, of course,
a windmill or two. The experience is not
unlike that of a period drama; voices cry
out as animals are rounded up, and errant
school children attempt to avoid chores.
Each winter there’s an evening programme
to complement the summer opening of the
museum, while the grounds, arboretum and
playground are open all year.
This appreciation of architectural
heritage hasn’t always been the case across
the country, however. It’s true that the
Flemish cities of Bruges and Ghent are well
established on the architectural trail, with