Cirque Royal

The Cirque Royal was born out of the development of the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges district by the Société anonyme of the same name, starting in 1876. The architect Wilhelm Khunen adapted to the plot of land within the block and designed a building in the shape of a regular polygon. Punctuated by twenty columns, supported by a framework hidden from the eyes of the spectators by a false ceiling made of cashmere veil, the hall with its Indian-inspired style was inaugurated in 1878 with a show by the Belgian Royal Equestrian Troupe Renz. The only permanent circus in Brussels, the boxes in the basement could accommodate nearly 110 horses. Nautical plays and equestrian reviews coexisted with pantomimes and ballets. Between 1908 and 1914, the hall even housed a cinema. From 1920 onwards, music hall shows were performed there. Many years later, in 1953, the architect Charles Van Nueten rebuilt the complex to bring it up to date.

Since its creation, the Cirque Royal has not only presented numerous equestrian and circus shows (Moscow Circus, Bouglione, Holiday on Ice and others), but also famous artists such as violinists Eugène Ysaÿe and Yéhudi Menuhin, Maurice Chevalier, Joséphine Baker, Mistinguette, Charles Trenet, Dalida, Buster Keaton, Gilbert Bécaud, the clown Popov, Louis Armstrong and Maurice Béjart and the 20th Century Ballet. A very popular venue in Brussels' cultural life and owned by the City, it underwent a thorough renovation campaign in 2018 and a new team was put in place to manage the venue. With a varied programme, it now offers stand-up and dance shows and concerts by artists from all over the world, from Pascal Obispo to Kylie Minogue, from Hooverphonic to Vanessa Paradis.