Brussels, 19 September, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Brussels Heritage Days has begun with a record programme of more than 270 activities across all 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, offering residents and visitors access to historic buildings, landscapes and sites that are normally difficult or impossible to visit.
The 38th edition runs on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September under the theme “Our Landscape, Our Legacy”, focusing on how architecture, public spaces, infrastructure, nature and communities have shaped the Belgian capital.
Record programme spans all 19 Brussels municipalities
Organised by urban.brussels, the weekend includes guided tours, walks, cycling routes, exhibitions, lectures, performances and exceptional site openings. Organisers say the programme of more than 270 activities is a record for the event.
Among the locations highlighted this year are Brussels City Hall, the Brussels City Museum, the Sewer Museum and Coudenberg Palace. Visitors can also explore less familiar residential heritage and panoramic viewpoints across the region.
Some activities have already reached capacity, while others can be attended without reservations. The official programme allows visitors to filter events according to availability and accessibility.
Heritage theme looks beyond historic buildings
This year’s Brussels Heritage Days programme takes a broader approach to heritage by examining natural, social and everyday landscapes alongside traditional monuments.
Brussels Secretary of State for Heritage Ans Persoons said heritage extends beyond architecture, telling BX1: “Heritage is more than buildings. It is also squares, roads.”
The theme is reflected at WIELS in Forest, the former industrial site used to launch this year’s programme. Its surroundings bring together railway and industrial history, residential neighbourhoods, cultural spaces and natural areas, including the nearby Wiels marshes.
Organisers highlight a changing Brussels landscape
Persoons said the capital’s urban environment continues to change as society’s needs and technologies evolve.
“A city evolves constantly,” she said when presenting the programme, adding that the weekend would open places that are normally closed and take visitors on unexpected routes through Brussels. Participation is free.
The programme also includes 25 activities connected to Renature Time, a collaboration between urban.brussels and Brussels Environment highlighting nature as part of the region’s heritage. Locations include the Sonian Forest, Osseghem Park, Senne Park and several wetlands.
Heritage weekend coincides with Car Free Sunday
The second day of the event coincides with Brussels’ Car Free Sunday on 20 September. Vehicles will generally be prohibited from travelling within the Brussels Region between 9.30am and 7pm, while the STIB public transport network will operate free of charge throughout Sunday.
A new Heritage Days information point at 20 Mont des Arts is open from 10am until 5pm throughout the weekend, providing programme guidance and visitor information.
What happens next?
Activities continue across Brussels on Sunday, with visitors advised to check the official programme because some tours require advance booking and a number are already fully booked. The weekend forms part of Urban’s wider 2026 focus on urban landscapes and concludes on Sunday evening.
