Council of Europe

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HERITAGE DAY FLANDERS 2012:

Music, Diction and Visual arts Sunday 9th of September 2012 the new edition of Heritage Day Flanders takes place throughout Flanders. This year’s ‘Open Monumentendag’ is all about culture, more specifically ‘Music, Diction and Visual arts’. This way we meet heritage where art and culture – whether or not serving a higher purpose- were created and experienced.

We visit places where culture was and is being created. Artists’ houses and studios wear marks from their former inhabitants and therefore are important pieces of heritage. Numerous places in Flanders have been a source of inspiration for culture creators and artists. Some of the more prominent examples are landscapes, districts, cities and villages.

On this year’s ‘Open Monumentendag’ we enter a world of mirror halls, music salons, private libraries, opera buildings and art rooms where high society used to partake in culture in secluded circles. We also take a look at the other, more humble side where the average man could satisfy his cultural needs, more specifically in theatres, cinemas and kiosks.

At the end of the nineteenth century all the political institutions wanted, from an educational point of view, to get the people into touch with culture ‘from a certain standard’. For this purpose houses, party halls and guild houses were specially constructed. These institutions also favoured theatre movements and brass bands, each of course with their own accomodation.

Music, diction and visual arts were also used to bring a message across to a very large crowd. They were essential for the experience of the Catholic faith like it typically takes place in a church or any other place. Moreover, for a long time the Catholic church used to be one of the most important clients for expressive artists, composers, architects and craftsmen. Cultural heroes are usually immortalised by statues, tombs or commemorative plaques. Of course these places are also incorporated in this year’s programme. Finally, the programme also highlights cultural redestination: from a music centre in a former church to a store in an old movie theatre.

197 cities and communities form the programme of ‘Open Monumentendag’ 2012. Hundreds of surprising and varied openings and activities make sure that this edition is the true anniversary of the immovable heritage.

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This year’s Open Monumentendag will be about Conflict and everything that comes along with it. Throughout history Flanders has seen a lot of conflicts, which has left a tremendous impact. Obviously World War I and II, two of the greatest tragedies in recent history, left many marks. But when looking back even further, it goes to show that there have been many more in the past. First, fortresses, castles and fortified farms arose in towns and the country at strategically well-chosen locations. After that, the nineteenth century gave us fortress girdles around cities and during the twentieth century fall-out shelters, anti-tank ditches and bunker lines started to emerge. (more...)

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Open Monumentdag Vlaanderen 2010: The Four Elements Open Monumentendag Vlaanderen is THE holiday for the entire heritage in Dutch-speaking Belgium. It is held every second Sunday of September. On that day all the famous and not-so-famous patrimony of Flanders opens its doors for the general public. But it is not just monuments that are in the spotlights, also archaeological sites and landscapes occupy centre stage. Not only can you admire some of Flanders’ most exciting heritage, but there are also loads of activities, for young and old, presented to you as well (this includes exhibitions, walks, bicycle tours and much more).

Every year we highlight one specific topic. This changes the wide variety of activities we offer you every year and it also makes sure that Open Monumentendag will never cease to amaze you. And what is more: all the visits and activities during Open Monumentendag are free of charge! This year Open Monumentendag takes place on Sunday September 12th. The theme of this year’s edition will be ‘The four elements’. So it will be earth, wind, water and fire that determine the programme. You can find the detailed schedule of the day on our website.