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
Abu Dhabi Security Talks 2026 Shaped by US, Russia, Ukraine Relations
Swedish Court Rejects Licensed Wolf Hunting
Last June, the Swedish government decided to reduce the minimum wolf population from 300 to 170, a move criticized by the EU Commission as unscientific and potentially harmful to the long-term
Separated by war — and by Schengen
Trump’s Subliminal Message in Davos: “I Am the UN, the New UN in Action”
HISTORY is opening a new page to be dominated by private businesses with more power than a number of UN member states. What will be the place of human rights?
By Willy Fautré
Trump made headlines in Davos this week when he announced the creation of HIS Board of Peace with an entrance fee set at $1 billion. No less than 25 UN member states publicly joined on the first day. This move challenges th
Thousands Gather in Washington 2026 for Trump Immigration Protests
Fico: We must acknowledge the EU, but we should also avoid aligning with its leadership’s incompetence
Ein Spaziergang durch Davos mit Lars Klingbeil
The walk on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum also covers the crisis resilience of the German economic model. Is competitiveness a social democratic issue? Klingbeil explai
US Court Advances Google Antitrust Case, Washington 2026
The decision marks a significant step forward in one of the most closely watched technology-related legal battl
Leave a Reply