Sitting right in the heart of Brussels, you can find the magnificent Les Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, being one of first shopping arcades built in Europe. This solid two hundred meter long complex is enriched with an amazing shop window, whose displays lure visitors into high-end specialized boutiques, top quality chocolate shops, along with a variety of cultural organizations. Built in 1847, this place still remains a center of grandeur in Brussels after almost 150 years. Its style and elegance can and should be admired by everyone in the spirit of its motto ‘omnibus omnia‘, meaning ‘everything to everybody’, which can be seen on its overarching facade. When visiting Brussels over the weekend, we warmly recommend you to sneak a peek at this place. So hop on that airport shuttle pick up and start exploring.

Fantasy in the making

The young architect Jean-Pierre Cluysenaer came up with the idea for creating the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, an enthusiast who had a talent for business too. In 1836, Jean-Pierre Cluysenaer decided to turn the simple and bare streets of the area into a covered shopping complex, which would be attractive for the many. He also found his partner, a banker named Jean-André Demot, however the path from an idea to realization was very challenging. It took nine years for the business partners to deal with the property rights, facing the ugly face of the Belgian bureaucracy.

When this first administrative step was done, the actual construction project itself required significantly less time. The papers were completely set in February 1845, while the construction started in May of the same year. Just brief 18 months after, the inauguration day had arrived. Finally, the passage was inaugurated by King Leopold I and his sons.

Jean-Pierre Cluysenaer got his education at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts, where he fell in love with the Italian Renaissance, thus using this as an inspiration for the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert. The complex today is divided into three sections: two 100 meter long galleries named King’s Gallery and Queen’s Gallery, along with a small side Gallery of the Princess. Between King’s and Queen’s Gallery, a colonnade can be seen, being the spot where Rue des Bouchers crosses the arcade. The today known name for all three sections, Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, was finally created in 1965.
 

The glass roof protects a mountain of history

The Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert is adored by inhabitants and attractive among the tourists. Every year, over six million visitors cross the arcade and enjoy this remarkable place. In the past, the visitors were required to pay an entrance fee. The entrance used to cost 25 cents on Thursday and Sunday and just 10 cents on any other day. Today the visitors do not have to pay a fee to explore this luxurious complex, but they can admire the grandeur free of charge. The Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert definitely has its vintage charm and style that still exists today. Here you can see a plethora of special shops and notable chocolatiers, (the first Neuhaus chocolate store was opened in the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, where the home for praline chocolates still stands today).

Despite the idea of creating a place with distinct architecture, Cluysenaer’s intention was to also create a sort of an urban microcosm inside the galleries, so while constructing his plans, the cultural aspect was not overlooked. Two theaters were housed in the Galeries, the Théâtre des Galeries and the Vaudeville Theatre, the latter being the oldest of the two. The Vaudeville Theatre used to be a flower market, however it eventually transitioned into a theatre in 1872, and hosted several prominent entertainment figures at the time. Even though both theaters are open to the public today, mainly the Théâtre des Galeries continues to showcase performances, various concerts and plays.

An interesting fact is that Brussels was the first city that the Lumières brothers, the founders of cinematography, visited after debuting their first films in the Grand Café in Paris. There were ten short movies, or called moving pictures at the time, screened in the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert in March 1st, 1896. These movies were very short, with just a few seconds each, combined to last seven minutes and 24 seconds in total. The cine scene continues to live to this day, as the arcade now houses the prominent Cinéma Galeries, known to be a popular spot for screening art-house films.

On top of everything, the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert today is a home to several letters and manuscripts by renowned scientists, artists and cultural figures. The Museum of Letters and Manuscripts showcases an extensive collection giving insight into the correspondence and personal thoughts of some of the world’s most famous figures in the arts and sciences, such as Einstein, Van Gogh and Brussels’ own Jacques Brel.
 

Luxury shopping heaven

For all of those looking to indulge into some high-end shopping, this is the right place. Many designer clothes and shoes, along with jewelry and crystal shops can be found here. The place is also attractive for those looking to buy antiques or gifts, or treat themselves with top quality cosmetic products. If you’re searching for different pleasures, many cafés, restaurants and mesmerizing chocolate shops can be hedonistically enjoyed here. As their moto goes, everyone can find everything here.

Visiting Brussels is one of the best moves you can make in your life.

Hence, while in this city, we highly recommend you to see the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, even if it means taking a simple stroll across the place. Just be sure to see the top landmarks in Brussels first and then continue to roam the luxury stores. The place truly deserves a visit before catching the airport cab and heading home.