Brussels · Historic centre
Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert
A glass-roofed shopping arcade of the 1840s with three connected galleries. Walk through it for the architecture and the cafe windows rather than to shop.
- 40 min
- Free
- Booking: not needed
- Historic centre
Data checked on October 5, 2026
The arcade was designed by Jean-Pierre Cluysenaer and opened on 20 June 1847, an early covered shopping arcade. It was built to hold shops, cafes, a theatre and apartments under one roof, and it quickly became a meeting place for writers and artists. A plaque marks the first public showing of the Lumière brothers' camera in Brussels on 1 March 1896. Today it still holds chocolate shops, a bookshop, cafes and a theatre under a glass roof.
What to look for
- The glass roof and the three galleries
- The plaque for the 1896 film showing
- The chocolate and bookshop windows
- The cafes under the arcades
Opening hours
Hours not confirmed. Check the official site.
The shops, cafes and theatre inside keep their own opening hours.
Source: visit.brussels (Brussels tourism board), checked October 5, 2026
Tickets and booking
Free. Free to walk through.
Getting there
Gare Centrale / Centraal Station on metro lines 1 and 5 is about 3 minutes away on foot.
Tip
Pass through on a rainy afternoon, or in the evening when the shop windows are lit.