Brussels’ Christmas tree arrives in Grand Place
This year’s Christmas tree has been installed on the Grand Place in Brussels, ahead of the annual Winter Wonders festivities. The tree arrived in the city on Thursday morning and will stay there until 4 January. It will be lit for the first time at 18:00 on 28 November.
“The arrival of the tree heralds the approaching end-of-year festivities. Winter Wonders is an event that residents eagerly await and that tourists from all over the world will discover with wonder,” said Delphine Houba, city councillor responsible for tourism and major events..
The Colorado fir is 43 years old and 20m tall. Until Wednesday, it stood in the garden of a private home in Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Antwerp province. The decoration will be done by artist Jean-Paul Lespagnard.
Specialist Pierre Demesmaeker was commissioned by the City of Brussels to find this year’s tree. “It’s a tree that I’ve been visiting regularly for five years and it now perfectly meets our expectations,” he said. “It’s a little less wide than its predecessors, which is more practical for transport.”
Before being transported to central Brussels, the tree had to be cut down and loaded onto a lorry. It was then escorted by the police to the Grand Place at dawn on Thursday.
“It’s always a special moment,” says Demesmaeker. “These trees are a bit like our children.”
After the Winter Wonders festival, the tree will be shredded. Some of the residue will be returned to its natural environment, where it will contribute to the development of future specimens, while another part will be transformed into various objects.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO EMILE WINDAL / BELGA VIDEO DELPHINE HOTUA
Related news
