Look for the Brussels building with the music score on the front. The Pianofabriek (Piano Factory) is a lively hub of art and culture in the Rue du Fort in Saint-Gilles municipality. But what’s the story behind it?
The street name goes back to 1672 when the Spanish built a massive fort on the hill above Brussels. It was abandoned and demolished in 1782. More than a century later, in 1896, a German family called Gunther built a piano factory on the site. The family made quality pianos that they exported all over the world. But the factory eventually closed in the 1970s due to tough competition from Japanese manufacturers.
The Flemish Community eventually took over the building as a cultural centre. It has grown since then into one of the city’s most vibrant venues where you can learn Portuguese dance, study Arabic, catch an evening of slam poetry or meet for coffee in the cafe Alcantara.
Angel Vergara, a Spanish artist based in Brussels, recently decorated the front of the building with a ceramic tile mural based on a music score. He called it Piano allegro ma non troppo.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
