The Royal Salon

The Centre for Fine Arts was built at the initiative of King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth. To thank the monarchs for their support, the designers of the building dedicated a part of it to them – the Royal Salon, a prestigious setting with its marble chandelier, red stained glass windows and bright lights. Access from the exterior is directly from the rue Ravenstein, while internally it opens out onto the royal box of the Henry Le Bœuf Hall. Although the trend since the 19th century had been to place the royal boxes on the balcony on either side of the stage, the architect Victor Horta chose to return to the former tradition and to set the royal box on the main axis of the hall. It is here that our sovereigns take their seats among the audience, most notably on the occasion of one unmissable event – the final of Belgium's famous Queen Elisabeth international music competition.