La Monnaie

Magnificent opera house where Belgium began
Noteworthy for: La Monnaie hatched the revolution that created Belgium as a state, when a riot broke out here following an 1830 performance of the opera "La Muette de Portici"

Talk of the town: La Monnaie scandalised the opera world in 2012 with a modern day production of Verdi's "La Traviata" featuring nudity and simulated sex.
A huge, imposing 19th century opera house, you might expect La Monnaie to be a rather stuffy institution if you judged it by its outside. In fact, it's one of the best and most innovative in all Europe, with a reputation for thinking outside the box and introducing unexpected opera and dance into its repertoire.

Built on the site of the former Royal Mint (which gave it the name is retains to this day), an opera house has existed here since 1700, though the current building dates back to 1856. Despite this long history, many of its performances have a contemporary feel. Opera sceptics might also be tempted in by its many dance shows, often featuring long time resident Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, considered one of the best choreographers working today.