Cercle royal Gaulois artistique et littéraire

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Artistic club in Brussels, Belgium

*Cercle royal Gaulois artistique et littéraire*
Front entrance
Founded	1848; 176 years ago (1848)
Type	Private members club

The Cercle Gaulois, in full the Cercle royal Gaulois artistique et littéraire (lit. 'Royal Gallic Artistic and Literary Circle'), is a Belgian club in Brussels that promotes art. The club has the aim of constituting a friendly, intellectual, artistic and literary meeting place, free of any political, cultural or philosophical tendency. Its current president is Philippe de Wouters d'Oplinter.

The club is located at 5, rue de la Loi/Wetstraat, in the historic Vauxhall building in Brussels Park, behind the Royal Park Theatre.

History

The Cercle royal artistique et littéraire ("Royal Artistic and Literary Circle") was founded in Brussels on 23 November 1848. The Cercle de la Toison d'Or ("Circle of the Golden Fleece") was founded in Brussels on 23 December 1911, and its name was changed to the Cercle Gaulois ("Gallic Circle") on 13 June 1919. The Cercle Gaulois became the Cercle royal Gaulois ("Royal Gallic Circle") by authorisation of King Leopold III on 16 February 1937. In 1950, the Cercle royal Gaulois merged with the Cercle royal artistique et littéraire and changed its name to the Cercle royal Gaulois artistique et littéraire ("Royal Gallic Artistic and Literary Circle").

Functions

Today, the club serves many purposes. It organises concerts, exhibitions and conferences in which all forms of art are represented, including culinary art. Following a tradition that dates back to 1971, every Tuesday evening, a club member is appointed master of fine dining. This member creates a menu together with a head chef and presents it to the guests. At the end of the meal, this member is appraised.