Galeries Royale St Hubert

One of Europe's first shopping arcades
Talk of the town: When it first opened, the cafes in the galleries were a favourite meeting place for the artistic and literary circles, including Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas.

A year after King Leopold I laid the first stone of the building in 1846, the grand Galeries Royale St Hubert became the first glassed-in 'shopping centre' in Europe. Comprising the King's gallery, the Queen's gallery and the Prince's gallery, the long arcade features a stunning glass barrel vaulted roof, running its entire length and elegant Italian neo-Rennaissance architecture.
As you may imagine in such a grand and historic building, the retail outlets are upmarket. The galleries are lined with high-end boutiques, antique furniture emporiums, luxury chocolate shops and smart restaurants and cafes.