Royal Theatre of La Monnaie 🇧🇪

Step into history at the Royal Theatre of La Monnaie, Belgium's premier opera house located in central Brussels on the Place de la Monnaie/Muntplein. Housed in its third building on a historic site that originally minted coins, this cultural landmark serves as the home of the National Opera of Belgium. You will experience a vibrant center for the arts that famously sparked the 1830 Belgian Revolution during a performance of Daniel Auber's La Muette de Portici.

While visiting, you can admire the sober whitewashed exterior and a neoclassical façade dating back to 1818. Inside, you will see a lavish 1,125-seat auditorium and foyer decorated in an eclectic mix of neo-Baroque, neo-Rococo, and neo-Renaissance styles. Look up to take in the impressive domed ceiling featuring a restored historic painting alongside a massive crystal chandelier crafted from gilded bronze and Venetian crystals.

As you move through the entrance hall, explore contemporary artistic additions, including a black-and-white marble floor by Sol LeWitt, an abstract ceiling triptych by Sam Francis, and artwork by Daniel Buren in the Salon Royal.

What to see at Royal Theatre of La Monnaie

• Historic home of the National Opera of Belgium
• 1,125-seat auditorium with gold leaf, red velvet, and Venetian crystal chandelier
• Modern interior art by Sol LeWitt, Sam Francis, and Daniel Buren
• Site of the 1830 performance that triggered the Belgian Revolution

Visiting tips

Be sure to look up while inside the auditorium to view the grand bronze and Venetian crystal chandelier alongside the restored ceiling dome painting.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Evening

How to get there & what’s nearby

Royal Theatre of La Monnaie is easy to reach on Brussels’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula and Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Brussels travel guide.