Concertgebouw Brugge

Concertgebouw Brugge was created in connection with Bruges’s year as European Capital of Culture in 2002. Following an international architectural competition, the project progressed to the laying of its foundation stone on 13 June 2000. The building opened on 20 February 2002 in the presence of the Belgian King and Queen. At 20:02, Jos van Immerseel and Anima Eterna inaugurated the concert hall with Haydn’s The Creation. This carefully staged opening linked the new institution to the city’s cultural-year programme. The concert building subsequently became a permanent setting for Bruges’s musical life, extending the legacy of the celebrations beyond a single season.