Belgian historian Bart Van Loo concludes his ‘Burgundian Offensive’ with Brussels podwalk

After years of sold-out theatres, bestsellers and storytelling evenings, Belgian historian Bart Van Loo rounds off his Burgundian Offensive with an enlightening podwalk.

In the footsteps of the Burgundians is a historic tour of Brussels city centre that is running from 21 March to 18 October.

The audio trail narrated by Van Loo in Dutch, French and English is accessible via Flemish TV station VRT’s digital podwalk platform. It is accompanied by a museum trail at the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR).  

Van Loo (pictured above) is the author of a number of engaging historical tomes, including The Burgundians, a bestselling epic tale of the dukedom of Burgundy.

“Everything started in 2019, when I argued that the Low Countries are a Burgundian invention. What followed? A Burgundian tsunami,” he says.

As for his final flourish with the narrated tour, the historian adds: “I want to let our great origin story resonate fully one last time, in the place where it belongs: in our capital itself, with a podwalk and a museum trail.”

The tour invites people to visit iconic locations where the city’s history still resonates, a rollcall of monumental Brussels sites: Mont des Arts, Coudenberg Palace, KBR museum, Place Royale, City Hall and the Cathedral of St Michael and St Gudula.

Along the way, Van Loo weaves, in his customary fashion, historical facts and surprising anecdotes into a compelling story of political power, court intrigues and banquets, religion, art, and daily life in Burgundian Brussels.

This was a period of political intrigue involving a cast of historical figures such as Philip the Good, Charles the Bold and Emperor Charles V.

Museum trail at royal library

The podwalk then takes on another dimension at the KBR museum. Here, the beautifully illuminated manuscript collection of the Burgundian dukes takes centre stage.

As guest curator, Van Loo has selected works from the library’s rich collections to brings visitors closer to the Burgundian court of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Also on display are watercolours by Jean Léon Huens, who illustrated the books of ’s Lands Glorie (The Nation's Glory), which first sparked the author’s love for history.

KBR’s general director Sara Lammens says: “Bart Van Loo is not only a master storyteller; he is also an exceptional guide through our collections. 'In the Footsteps of Bart Van Loo and the Burgundians' shows the story of the Burgundian Golden Age in all its layers: political, artistic, and human.”

Contemporary twist for Burgundian heritage

For Chantal Pattyn, network manager of Klara radio station, “Bart makes the weapons rattle, the swords cross, and even the fat geese fly through the air. This podwalk, based on his podcast 'Bold Steps,' is the ideal guide for everyone who wants to discover how the Burgundians made Brussels great.”

The project also aims to make the city’s history accessible in a contemporary way. Says National Lottery chief executive Jannie Haek: “We invest in stories that are shared. With this podwalk, history does not remain tucked away in archives; we make it accessible to a wide audience.”

The official launch of the podwalk on 21 March includes a book signing session by Bart Van Loo at KBR.

Following this final round of his Burgundian Offensive, the author insists: “And after that, I’m taking a sabbatical!”

In the footsteps of the Burgundians
21 March to 18 October
Tour starting point: Place des Palais 1; endpoint: St Gudula’s Square
KBR Museum: Boulevard de l’Empereur 4 

Photo of Bart Van Loo ©Hilde De Windt