Article Flanders, accessible to everyone

In the Winter Garden of the Ursulines, it’s always spring. The tiniest ray of sunlight creates an extraordinary effect through the colorful stained-glass windows. It’s a stunning example of Art Nouveau, and what’s more, it’s completely accessible to everyone. 

Belgium played a key role in the opulent art and architectural style known as Art Nouveau. The style ushered in a wealth of beauty during the transition from the 19th to the 20th century, and this all took place in perfect harmony between art and craft. The result is a feast for the eyes: breathtaking interiors and decorations, often featuring stained glass, wrought ironwork, detailed mosaics and tiling. The Winter Garden of the Ursulines, a stone’s throw from Mechelen, is one of the very finest examples of the genre. 

This fairytale winter garden is part of a remarkable complex. For many years, it brought together education, architecture, art and history. Today, it is literally a sparkling monument. The colorful stained-glass dome steals the show here; the tiniest ray of sunlight creates a breathtaking play of color and light. This is a spectacle that everyone must be able to enjoy, regardless of age, disability or care requirements. Accessibility was therefore a major theme in the extensive renovation of this site. 

Thanks to the renovations, the Winter Garden has been completely accessible and threshold-free. The experience trail is mainly on the ground floor. Unfortunately, an elevator was not an option. As a result, the route on the first floor is not accessible to wheelchairs, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on anything. A state-of-the-art tablet app tells about everything that’s going on. 

And there’s more. For the blind and visually impaired, the audio guide offers an all-round experience, while a tactile model depicts the scope and particularities of the entire Ursulines Institute. In turn, hearing-impaired people use a loop and induction loops for this audio guide, so they too can follow everything in detail. The audio texts are also available in print form. Of course, guide and assistance dogs are welcome in this Art Nouveau highlight. 

Flanders is a treasure trove of centuries-old heritage. That has one drawback. The medieval or Burgundian dukes didn’t care quite so much about accessibility. Fortunately, today’s Flanders does and is working hard to increase accessibility. The Ursulines’ renovated Winter Garden is just one example of making it possible for everyone to enjoy Flanders’ historical heritage.