The flower carpet of the Grand-Place is 50 years old
For its 50th anniversary, the flower carpet is back on the most beautiful square in the world. 1,680m² of begonias, dahlias, grasses and bark will take over the cobblestones of the Grand-Place to delight tourists and Brussels residents.
As is the tradition on the weekend of 15 August, the Grand-Place will be transformed into a gigantic carpet of flowers 70m long and 24m wide. Onlookers can admire this true work of art from the balcony of the Hôtel de Ville during the day (booking required) or enjoy the sound and light show in the evening.
This year, this giant puzzle created by 100 volunteer gardeners in less than eight hours takes a leap into the past.
Indeed, this fiftieth anniversary marks a return to its roots. It was the first flower carpet, made in 1971 by Etienne Stautemas, then President of the Flanders’ Federation of Green Industry (AVBS), that inspired the artists.
Saint Michael the Archangel and the Belgian Lion will feature on the carpet created this year by Mexican artist Roo Aguilar Aguado and the Belgian Koen Vondenbusch, who has worked on the flower carpet for 28 years.
This ephemeral masterpiece highlights the work of our flower growers, whether traditional begonias and dahlias or chrysanthemums and euonymus (Japanese fusain). This expertise transcends our borders. And although other flower carpets have been created in Bruges, Cologne, Paris, Vienna and elsewhere, we have to admit that the Grand-Place remains its most beautiful setting.