Brussels' string puppets awarded Unesco heritage status

A typical Brussels tradition, the art of string puppets or marionettes has been added to Unesco's list of intangible culture heritage.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), whose convention has been signed by 180 countries, granted this recognition at the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in New Delhi.

Preserved and reinvented at the Théâtre Royal de Toone, minutes from the Grand-Place, this form of puppet art dates back to travelling fair theatres from the Renaissance and Toone is the last remaining string puppet theatre in the capital.

The nomination was initiated four years ago by urban.brussels, the Brussels administration responsible for the city’s heritage.

The aim was to highlight Brussels’ identity, local languages, inclusivity and non-commercial character. The nomination was a way for the Brussels region authorities to preserve a centuries-old tradition extremely popular in the 19th century, when several theatre groups practised puppetry.

Since 1963, the only theatre active in Belgium practising this art is the Toone. Run by the Géal family, Nicolas Géal (Toone VIII), now in charge, said the award was “a plus for the younger generation of puppeteers and will help the tradition in Belgium”.

In April 2024, the charming theatre based in a traditional "estaminet" was awarded the European Union European Heritage Label – given to buildings, documents, museums, archives, monuments and events seen as “milestones in the creation of Europe”. Only four other sites in Belgium can boast this accolade today.

Introduced to Belgium by travelling theatres from Italy and Central Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, string puppets reflect Brussels’ multicultural identity.

Historically, these puppet shows allowed adults, often illiterate, to experience plays, opera, and popular novels that they would otherwise not have access to.

The technique is defined by the “string” or rod – a metal stick passing through the puppet’s head with hooks on either end – used to manipulate the puppet’s movements.

At Toone, a team of six trained puppeteers operates the puppets from behind a raised puppet booth.

The performances, often parodic and improvised, blend theatrical classics, folk tales and social satire, all in the typical Brussels spirit of “zwanze” and self-mockery.

Popular throughout the year, they come into their own in the Guignolet dans le Parc summer festival in the Brussels Park and at Insifon in Neder-over-Heembeek, a weekend packed full of marionette spectacles at the end of August.