Brussels goes back five centuries to receive Charles I of Spain

Brussels (Belgium), Jul 4 (EFE) - The Grand Place in Brussels, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco, was transported five centuries ago to recreate the historic and celebrated reception of King Charles I of Spain and V of Germany, in which he presented his son and future ruler of the empire, Philip II, to the Belgian people.



CAMERA: PABLO GARRIGÓS.

FOOTAGE OF THE EVENT AT THE GRAND PLACE IN BRUSSELS TO RECREATE THE RECEPTION OF KING CHARLES I OF SPAIN AND V OF GERMANY FIVE CENTURIES AGO. FOOTAGE OF A DEMONSTRATOR CARRYING THE PALESTINIAN FLAG WHO IS LATER ARRESTED.

SOUNDBITES IN FRENCH BY PAULLE GRAND, CHAIRMAN OF THE EVENT, CALLED OMMENGANG, (FLEMISH WORD FOR 'WALK AROUND').

TRANSLATION:

1. For the city of Brussels, Charles V had made Brussels the center of his Empire. Brussels was Spanish at that time and, therefore, when Charles V came to Brussels, he came to present his son Philip who would later become Philip II. And we know, clearly, the history that Charles V and Philip II have made in these territories.

The cultural value is super important because we always say that the history of tomorrow is written today. And this is a little bit of the history of Europe written here, in the capital of Europe, in the Grande Place, and we want to go through the centuries of our common history.

2. Here we have 1400 extras, a hundred salaried people, what you have to know is that the specificity of our casting is that the role of a prince is played by a real prince, the role of a guard by a real policeman, the role of a puppeteer by a real puppeteer. So it's that specificity of casting that is unique in the world. All the social classes of society come together to go through a moment in our history.

3. Social networks help us a lot to internationalize, you have to know that the recognition of the intangible heritage of Unesco has made us known all over the world so it is something that has much more reach now than before. It's cool. In addition, the children participate and we have entered the didactic units of the schools in Belgium so that they know what the Ommegang is to the new generations.