
Halle (Eurotoday): Geert De Poorter has restored the 19th-century Villa Servais in Halle, Belgium, transforming it into a bed and breakfast and concert hall. Inspired by its history, he is building a garden seating area using blue limestone from the demolished local station, enhancing cultural events while honoring cellist François Servais’s legacy.
The villa of the legendary 19th-century cellist François Servais in Halle, Belgium, has been restored and is now owned by Geert De Poorter. It serves as a bed and breakfast, concert hall, and exhibition space, honoring Servais’s legacy while providing a venue for cultural events. De Poorter is also adding seating in the villa’s garden, creating a new space for outdoor concerts and events during the summer months.
How is Geert De Poorter reviving François Servais’s legacy at Villa Servais?
The idea for the new seating area in the garden of the villa is inspired by its historical significance. When François Servais lived there, the garden overlooked the local station, which was demolished in 1993. Geert De Poorter managed to get about 20 pallets of blue limestone from the original station building. These historic stones are being repurposed to create the seating tribune, preserving a piece of the past while enhancing the cultural atmosphere of the villa’s garden. This project blends history with modern use, creating a unique space where music and heritage come together.
It has been said that building the grandstand costs money, so Geert will sell champagne with a label of the Halle musician Servais and his favorite instrument, the cello. He also asked the community to help restore the villa. Many older people in Halle miss their old station. Now, the stones from that 19th-century building are being reused, making the grandstand special. Geert said the stones were in a waste container for years, then moved to Edingen, and now they are in the villa’s garden.
Comments
One response to “Villa Servais: Geert De Poorter Brings 19th-Century Cellist’s Legacy Back to Life in Halle”
-
Reviving a 19th-century cellist’s legacy with a side of recycled limestone? Talk about a sustainable twist! Next, they’ll be serving tea from the last century and calling it avant-garde. 😏🍵
Last News
Colette Sauvage Reflects on 70 Turbulent Years of Marriage to Philippe Bouvard
Cannes, France, 24 August (Eurotoday Newspaper) – Colette Sauvage’s seven-decade marriage to French broadcaster Philippe Bouvard endured fame, long absences and serious marital strains, with his wife once revealing that she had even put his suitcases outside the door during difficult periods in their relationship.
The couple married in 1953 and remained together for more than 70 years, until Bou
Six EU Countries Aim to Tax Oil Windfall Profits
Star News Anchor Resigns as Partner Enters French Presidential Race
Arsenal Injury Update: Tzolis Shines and Odegaard Regains Form in London
London, 22 August (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Arsenal have received an encouraging Arsenal injury update on Bruno Guimaraes after the midfielder missed their 3-0 Premier League victory over Coventry City, while Christos Tzolis and Martin Odegaard provided Mikel Arteta with plenty of encouragement at the other end of the pitch.
The champions made a confident start to their title defence at the
How Ukraine Can Endure Another Winter
In the podcast, Zoya Sheftalovich and Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Nick Vinocur explore the support Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy aims to obtain from the Coalitio
Max Verstappen Reflects on Disappointing Dutch Grand Prix Weekend in Zandvoort
Zandvoort, Netherlands, 23 August (Eurotoday) – Max Verstappen said his home Formula One weekend had been disappointing after an opening-lap accident ended his Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. The Red Bull driver was unhurt, but the early retirement brought the Verstappen Dutch GP weekend to a premature close after he had struggled for pace across the event.
Verstappen started seventh and made it
Britain assured EU citizens about its settled status system, then muddled identical twins.
Many such cases
Monique Hawkins, acting CEO of the3million, which advocates for the rights of EU citizens in the U.K., noted that issues wit
Lando Norris Claims Dutch Grand Prix Victory from Pole in Zandvoort
Zandvoort, Netherlands, 23 August (Eurotoday) – Lando Norris won the Dutch Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday, taking his second Formula One victory in succession as McLaren finished ahead of Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell at Zandvoort.
Norris completed the 72-lap race 11.536 seconds ahead of championship leader Antonelli. Russell finished third, with Lewis Hamilton four
I Visited Chairman Lee Man-hee in Prison in Seoul
HRWF Report on Visiting 95-Year-Old Chairman Lee Man-hee of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus. He is in pre-trial detention during an extreme heatwave and questions whether Korean law’s supervised alternatives should be used.
Thursday, 6 August 2026 at 2:00 pm. The detention-centre visiting room is a little more than four metres square. In front of us, a wall of double glass perhaps ten centimetre



Leave a Reply