ONE OF THE LAST WITNESSES TO BRUSSELS' OLD POPULAR DISTRICT.

THE EMBLEMATIC CHEVAL MARIN WAS BUILT IN THE HEART OF BRUSSELS' OLD INNER HARBOR IN 1680 AND, FROM THE 18TH CENTURY ONWARDS, BECAME A PROSPEROUS INN WHERE TRAVEL TICKETS FOR REGULAR BOAT SERVICES TO MECHELEN AND ANTWERP WERE COLLECTED AT THE COUNTER.

REBUILT IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY, LE CHEVAL MARIN, IN PURE FLEMISH NEO-RENAISSANCE STYLE, IS TODAY AN EXCEPTIONAL AND PARTICULARLY REPRESENTATIVE EXAMPLE OF THE OLD PORT DISTRICT. AFTER 1999, LE CHEVAL MARIN WAS REPEATEDLY ABANDONED AND VANDALIZED, DESPITE PROTECTION MEASURES.

A FEW YEARS LATER, AFTER MAJOR RENOVATIONS, IT REOPENED ITS DOORS WITH A NEW TEAM AT THE HELM, DETERMINED TO RESTORE ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING WITNESSES TO BRUSSELS' OLD POPULAR DISTRICT TO ITS FORMER GLORY, OFFERING TYPICAL BELGIAN CUISINE, A WIDE RANGE OF BELGIAN BEERS, AND NATURAL WINES.

WHEN NIGHT FALLS, THE UPSTAIRS ROOM TURNS INTO A CONCERT HALL FOR LIVE BANDS, JAMS AND DJS UNTIL … THE EARLY HOURS.