On Sunday 21 September, the most elegant rooms of the BNP Paribas Fortis building at 20, rue Royale in Brussels will be thrown open to the public.

Meanwhile at the nearby Ravenstein branch, the bank is offering an exceptional opportunity for all to come and see the strongroom created by the great Belgian designer Jules Wabbes.

This year’s Heritage Days theme is ‘History and Memory’. This initiative offers a unique opportunity to discover the gems of our architectural past.

As a company which takes its civic responsibilities seriously, BNP Paribas Fortis is keen to showcase its architectural and cultural heritage and enable as many people as possible to come and see it.

20 rue Royale, a slice of history – Upon its foundation in 1822, the Algemeene Nederlandsche Maatschappij ter Begunstiging van de Volksvlijt (General Company of the Netherlands for the Promotion of Trade and Industry) set up its offices on rue Montagne du Parc, in a prestigious district not far from Belgium’s official institutions.  In 1904, re-named Société Générale de Belgique, this forerunner of Generale Bank and of  today’s BNP Paribas Fortis purchased a first building on rue Royale.

In 1922, the Bank acquired several adjacent buildings. When the complex was completely rebuilt in 1972, the restoration was carried out in accordance with the town planning and architectural rules of the18th century.
Inside the building, three sumptuous drawing rooms especially evoke the atmosphere of the historical era. The ‘Lorraine room’ features two tapestries displaying the coat of arms of the Emperor François de Lorraine and his consort the Empress Maria-Theresa of Austria, while the Tapestry Gallery is hung with a set of tapestries, woven between 1742 and 1763 in the workshop of the Van der Borcht brothers, which illustrate episodes from the life of the Patriarch Moses.

Last but not least, the Kings’ room, named after the portraits of the kings of Belgium which adorn its walls, from William I to Albert II. During the First World War, the Belgian National Relief and Food Committee held meetings there chaired by Émile Francqui, the General Manager of Société Générale de Belgique, and Herbert Hoover, who was later elected President of the United States.

Nowadays, the building at 20, rue Royale houses BNP Paribas Fortis’ executive committee and several departments.

More information on 20, rue Royale in the brochure.


In practice – Guided visits for groups of 25 people will take place on Sunday 21 September throughout the day from 10am to 6pm, with last admission at 5pm.   Metro lines 1 and 5 (Parc / Park). Tram 92 and 93 (Palais / Paleizen)


Jules Wabbes strongroom – From 12 to 25 September, including on the Heritage Days, you are also invited to visit an exhibition by the Chief Architectural Advisor to the Brussels-Capital region, plus the large strongroom designed by Jules Wabbes, in the nearby BNP Paribas Fortis branch at 29 rue Ravenstein. Click here for more information on the exhibition.