Forest National, Concert hall in Forest, Brussels, Belgium
Forest National is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the Brussels district of Forest. The interior holds more than eight thousand seats arranged in rising tiers around a central stage.
Forest National opened on 8 October 1970 with a performance by Maurice Béjart's Ballet of the 20th Century, seating 5,500. A 1995 renovation raised capacity to 8,400 and improved lighting, sound, the façade, foyer and stage. The Sportpaleis Group took over operation in 2013, while owner Music Hall Group kept the building; a 2014 renovation numbered seats and added new foyers.
The hall's name reflects its location in Forest, a district south of Brussels city center, where audiences gather for concerts and shows. Visitors from across the Belgian capital region and neighboring countries travel here to experience live performances by well-known artists.
Forest National sits about 200 metres from Forest-Est station on line 124 (Brussels-Nivelles-Charleroi). Brussels bus lines 48, 54 and 74 serve the venue directly, while tram lines 82 and 97 stop at Zaman-Forest National, roughly 500 metres downhill. The 2014 renovation added numbered seats and new foyers, one of which occupies an old backstage room.
The rising arrangement of seats ensures that every row maintains an unobstructed view of the stage. This setup allows even those in the back sections to follow performances without visual interference.
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