October 15, 2 PM – Castle of Gaasbeek
On Wednesday, the 15th of October, we will open the 2025–2026 working year with a visit to the Castle of Gaasbeek. The castle traces its origins to a medieval fortress, presumably built around 1240 by Godfrey of Leuven. Thanks to its strategic location on the border between the Duchy of Brabant and the County of Flanders, it played a significant role in the balance of power of the time. That same position, however, also made it vulnerable: the fortress was besieged on several occasions and severely damaged. The current structure therefore presents us with a romantic interpretation of how people in 1890 imagined the Middle Ages to have looked. During a guided tour of the castle by Prof. dr. An Faems (KU Leuven) and a behind-the-scenes look at the archives with Tom De Waele (Gaasbeek Castle – Ghent University), we will explore the castle’s rich history. We will conclude the day with a drink on the castle grounds.
The program will be as follows:
- 1:45-2:00 PM: gathering at the entrance of the castle domain (Kasteelstraat 40, Gaasbeek; see this webpage on the accessibility of the site).
- 2:00-3:30 PM: visit to the castle guided by prof. dr. An Faems
- 3:30-4:00 PM: visit to the archives guided by Tom De Waele
- 4:00 PM: drink
Would you like to join this activity? Please sign up by sending an email to secretariaatvwm@gmail.com by October 9.
November 28, 2 PM – KBR Museum and his manuscript collection
On the 28th of November, we’re heading with the VWM to the heart of Brussels for a visit to the Royal Library of Belgium. In May 2025, the KBR Museum reopened its doors after a thorough renovation. During our visit to the KBR Museum -the place where the manuscript collection of the Burgundian dukes shines- we’ll dive into the magical world of polyphonic music and medieval miniatures. In the brand-new themed exhibition, we’ll discover everything about medieval influencers. As the highlight of the visit, Dr. Jan Pauwels, curator of the Manuscripts and Early Printed Books Department, will take us into the archives -nicknamed “the catacombs of the KBR”- where we’ll get an up-close look at a number of masterpieces from the collection.
Information about registration will follow.
March 13, 10 AM – Dies Namurcensis
On Friday 13 March, the VWM will once again join forces with the Réseau des médiévistes belges de langue française for the “Dies Namurcensis.” We’re putting together a full-day programme in Namur featuring a keynote lecture by Em. Prof. Dr. Marc Boone (Ghent University), poster presentations by doctoral researchers, and a visit to the temporary exhibition at TreM.a – Musée des Arts anciens on the former Cistercian abbey of Notre-Dame du Vivier in Marche-les-Dames.
More information about the programme and registration will follow.
May 2026 – Visit to BRUSK
On 8 May 2026, BRUSK, the brand-new art hall in the heart of Bruges, will open its doors. This new artistic and cultural hotspot -on the very site where the Eekhout Abbey once played a similarly leading cultural role- will provide space to preserve and study the rich art collection of Musea Bruges and will serve as the setting for temporary exhibitions. The art hall opens in May with the exhibition BREEDBEELD – Interwoven Worlds of Bruges 900–1550. This exhibition focuses on the connections that medieval Bruges, as an international hub, maintained with other regions and cultures, bringing together masterpieces from around the globe. With the VWM, we’ll be among the first to visit, taking a guided tour of this new site and the prestigious cultural-historical exhibition.
More information about this activity will follow in spring 2026.