La Patinoire Royale or the Royal Skating as it would be translated is a building in Brussels with a long history. It appeared in the background of Brussels in 1877, when it was indeed a skating ring for roller blades. It was the first construction to serve this purpose in the entire Europe. But, in a short time after its construction, it ended serving a different purpose, becoming a garage for the famous Bugatti cars in 1900. After another 5 years, the location was used as a depot by a war weapons factory and, after the World War II, it was used by the Siemens Company as a garage. And finally, it became an exhibition garage in 1975, for car enthusiasts.

Comptemporary Art Brussels Belgium La Patinoire Royale

In 1995, the Brussels Region finally acknowledged the value of this building and declared it a historical monument. It has been in the city for so long already, having a unique neo-classical style, that it would be a shame not to preserve it. In recent times, the space within the Patinoire Royale served as a contemporary art gallery, where people can enjoy various exhibitions free of charge. The most recent exhibition, the one I saw myself, was the one displaying the work of Takis and Jean Prouvé. Panagiotis “Takis” Vassilakis is a Greek artist that became very popular in France. His works of art can be seen in various public places in the country. He is famous for his tridimensional works, which are a combination of science and arts.

Jean Prouvé w...