De Grote Post
Location
OstendCapacity
up to 427 paxAhead of its time
De Grote Post was built from 1946 to 1953 by acclaimed modernist architect Gaston Eysselinck. It was the most important building he designed in his short, tragic life. Until 1999, it housed the postal services in the city of Ostend – Grote Post translates as ‘Main Post Office’. Eysselinck’s vision was ahead of its time. He wanted to create a no-nonsense functional building, yet one that promoted the well-being of employees and visitors alike. He succeeded brilliantly: every room in De Grote Post feels just right. There’s harmony in the colours, the proportions, and in every detail of the furniture – all designed by Eysselinck. By the way: the upper-level used to house the canteen, not the directors’ offices as you might expect. Eysselinck designed it that way because he wanted every employee to enjoy the splendid views of the city.
De Grote Post is obviously a building of great quality, but at the time, the architect encountered great resistance to his ideas. In 1953, harrowed by personal and financial problems, he ended his life at the age of 47.
Cultural centre
Today, 70 years later, nobody could imagine an Ostend without its Grote Post. In 2012, the building was repurposed as a thriving cultural centre – it hosts over a thousand activities a year. On top of that, it houses a popular café – one of the city’s best-known meeting places.
De Grote Post is also available as an extraordinary venue for your next meeting, congress or event. It has 14 rooms on offer, including three spacious theatres, the largest of which seats 427 people. Numerous break-out rooms are scattered throughout the building, all equipped with the latest and best in meeting infrastructure. The inhouse café provides customized catering based on sustainable, locally sourced food (and it’s vegetarian- and vegan-friendly as well!).
Double treat
To top it all off, De Grote Post is located in the only city on the Belgian coast. Ostend not only offers great restaurants and cafés, a busy cultural scene and an exciting nightlife, but it also boasts a magnificent sand beach and a long seaside promenade that’s always busy. Moreover, it has its own airport and is well connected to all of Belgium’s major cities, by train as well as by road.
If you choose De Grote Post for your next meeting or event, you’ll be treating your guests to a striking building, the best meeting infrastructure, delicious sustainable food, and – as a bonus – an exciting holiday-by-the-sea vibe. Hope to see you soon!
Located in the city of Ostend
Many of the world's greats were welcomed in Ostend, from Karl Marx to Mark Twain. Now your delegates get to follow in their footsteps. The historic buildings within and outside the city are the perfect venue for your conference.
Practical information
Technical Info
- Hybrid conferences possible
Capacity
up to 427 paxLocation
More information about this venues?
VISITFLANDERS Convention Bureau will be happy to give you all the information you need, and offer your association or PCO free support, no strings attached.
