Anciens Abattoirs is first of all a place worth exploring for its size and architectural qualities. But it's also a place with a history. The slaughterhouse was originally built between 1854 and 1855 by the architect Charles François Sury, in the Lombardy style. At that time, the River Trouille flowed alongside the building, and ditches and pools for breeding fish had been set up there. In fact, the district was known as the "Quartier de la Pêcherie" (the Fishing District) and later as the "Quartier du Grand Trou Oudart", after the surname of a local fishing family. After becoming a listed building in 1985, the site underwent its first phase of major restoration work, primarily focused on the exterior of the building.Now fully refurbished and adapted to its new purpose, this architectural work is undoubtedly a beautiful example of a reconversion of one of Mons many typical 19th-century buildings, including le Carré des Arts, la Machine à Eau, le Théâtre du Manège etc.
Its reopening created the possibility for the space to become a future focal point of culture in Mons, thanks to its location near the renowned ESAPV (School of Fine and Visual Arts), with major sound installations and craft and fine art exhibitions taking place regularly in the Grande Halle.