The 35th Open Monuments Day will take place on Sunday 10 September. This year, several Antwerp buildings will open their doors and give the general public a look behind the scenes. Visitors not only discover the buildings, but also the story behind the facades: the theme is ‘With heart and soul‘ and the emphasis is on intangible heritage. All locations are free to visit, but sometimes you have to book in advance.

The complete Antwerp program can be found at www.openmonumentendagantwerpen.be. Well-known classics and pearls to be discovered open their doors throughout Antwerp, from the historic city center to all districts.

With heart and soul

Open Monuments Day 2023 is all about ‘With heart and soul’. The city bridges the gap between immovable and intangible heritage. ​

You can still notice the rich history of Antwerp in numerous buildings, each with their own story. But Antwerp has more to offer than its built, material heritage. 

Think of our Antwerp beers, the Antwerp dialect, the folk tales and historical figures such as Peter Paul Rubens, who made Antwerp their home port. Several locations open their doors to introduce visitors to their intangible heritage. This edition is also dedicated to thousands of volunteers who put their heart and soul into preserving Antwerp’s heritage. Partly thanks to them, Antwerp traditions and folk legends continue to exist. Everyone can immerse themselves in Antwerp’s intangible heritage on Heritage Day and discover the city like never before.

A small preview of the programme

• Learn all about the life of the Reuskens van Borgerhout in BorGerHub;
• Get a tour of the candy sugar factory at Candico in Merksem;
• Discover the special story of ordinary people in a musical setting at the Hoboken Municipal Cemetery;
• Visit the De Ridder brewery in Deurne and discover the future of the site during a real festival;
• Listen to the story of Semini by the puppeteers of vzw Aksie at Het Steen;
• Take a walk in the Antwerp dialect;
• Take a last walk around the Droogdokkensite site as it is today;
• Get to know the pilgrimage tradition and the Pilgrim’s Table in the Sint-Julianusgasthuis (St. Julian’s Hospice);
• Taste a piece of Antwerp history at Brouwerij De Koninck.

Mayor Bart De Wever (N-VA): “Open Monuments Day is celebrating its 35th anniversary. This accessible cultural event therefore has a proud tradition of putting Antwerp’s beautiful heritage on a pedestal. The locations of this edition really come from the heart of our Antwerp cultural fabric. I would like to invite you to come and experience Antwerp’s many real estate, movable and intangible heritage. I wish you a pleasant journey of discovery!”

UNESCO guideline

This year the UNESCO guideline on intangible cultural heritage is twenty years old. It draws attention to the fact that not only buildings but also traditions are heritage, such as music, dance and other performing arts, social customs, rituals and celebrations, sports and games, food and drink culture, crafts, traditional craftsmanship and technology. Antwerp also has a number of traditions on the UNESCO World Heritage List: beer culture, giant parades and carillon culture. They will therefore receive extra attention on 10 September.

Practical

The digital brochure is the starting point for getting the most out of Open Monuments Day: http://www.openmonumentendagantwerpen.be. The various Antwerp locations tell briefly about their rich past. The brochure also contains a handy map to quickly find the locations that are close to each other, and a lot of practical information.