Where once the tread of military horses echoed, the Grand Manège now thrills hearts with the sound of song and musical notes.

Over an area of 6,000m², this exceptional new venue dedicated to classical music houses the Balthasar-Florence Conservatory, the Centre d'Art Vocal et de Musique Ancienne, the À Cœur Joie association and a 750-seat concert hall with remarkable acoustics, christened the "Namur Concert Hall".

A true musical city that contributes to the blossoming of students, musicians, artists, music lovers, but also the people of Namur!

A historic legacy with a contemporary look

Dating from 1856, the Grand Manège owes its name to its first use: training cavalry troops. Its artistic vocation developed over time, starting with hosting civil events such as balls, charity fetes and even an International Fine Arts Exhibition.

At the end of the conflicts and its military occupation, the Grand Manège became an important cultural venue and established itself on this scene until 2015. With its advancing age, it was then closed for renovation before being reborn from the dust, in 2021, as a brand-new musical city.

Exceptional premises for exceptional experiences

With its sleek new lines and colors evocative of piano keys, the Grand Manège is helping to beautify Namur's revitalized city center.

But its renovation was a real challenge for the architects! The objective: to preserve the old perimeter wall and create functional, modern premises that meet the highest quality standards. A challenge proudly met! From floor to ceiling, including surfaces, finishes, panelling and curtains, nothing was left to chance.

The architects also succeeded in designing a concert hall with perfect acoustics that meets international requirements: the "Namur Concert Hall". From the parterre to the balcony, the clarity of sound is uniformly audible in each of the 750 seats and, remarkably, the hall's resonance can be adjusted so that instruments have time to blend and create the desired sound effect. Thus, by modifying the configuration of the hall, the sound can resonate as in a theater or a church. This asset allows the hall to adapt to the wishes of artists and to perform all types of music: singing, piano recitals, chamber music, opera...

The Grand Manège is also home to the Centre d'Art Vocal et de Musique Ancienne and, every day, the 1500 students of the Conservatoire Balthasar-Florence can enjoy new premises with careful acoustics and benefiting from the best technologies for teaching musical and dramatic art.

The music bookshop, library and offices of the Fédération Chorale Wallonie-Bruxelles À Cœur Joie also find their quarters within the Grand Manège, to the delight of singers, composers and all choral enthusiasts.

An exclusive in Wallonia

By bringing together, within the same building, a school of artistic practice, a unique concert hall and two renowned associations on the music scene, the Grand Manège helps weave links between disciplines, students, artists, professionals and residents.

Anchored in heritage turned to the future, the Walloon capital's new music hub has become an inspiring space that makes culture shine and talent sparkle far beyond our borders.

Discover the Grand Manège program

On video

Le Grand Manège

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