Understanding Brussels to better defend it!
ARAU was founded in 1969, in a context of ‘Brusselsisation’ and the exodus of Brussels residents to the periphery. The challenge at the time, which is still relevant today, was to defend and promote the inhabited city and a quality of life for all the inhabitants of Brussels. This led to major protests against demolition projects on the one hand and the development of counter-projects on the other, with a view to urban renewal and improving the living environment.
The ARAU intends, through its action to raise awareness and inform the population, to provide the public with the necessary tools to monitor the evolution of the city. This action takes the form of the publication of analyses and studies, the organisation of conferences and workshops, press releases, etc., as well as guided tours.
These tours, which are pioneering in the Brussels region and have been organised since 1977, aim to enhance the city and its assets, and to develop a critical view of its transformations, which includes the preservation and maintenance of its heritage.
Over the years, the ARAU has developed a rich catalogue of guided tours on various themes: “Unmissable Brussels”, “Architecture”, “Brussels in Districts”, “The City in Transformation”, “Summer Journey”, “A Brussels House”, “Brussels: City of Trams”, “Social Brussels”, which can be discovered during public tours or in the form of private, customised tours.
