Galleries of Saint Hubert

Brief information

The Royal Galleries of Saint Hubert appeared as a way to replace a cramped and poorly lit part of Brussels with a covered urban passage. That is why this place is important not only as a shopping gallery: it shows how, in the 19th century, an attempt was made to turn the street into a more convenient, brighter, and more representative space.

The arcade opened in 1847 and is considered the first in Europe. It influenced later shopping galleries, including arcades in Saint Petersburg and Milan. From the very beginning, luxury shops moved in here, and in 1896 the Lumière brothers showed the first films here. This fact changes how we look at the building: before us is not just a row of shop windows, but a place where commerce, strolling, and new spectacles were joined under one roof early on.

What to notice right away

The main principle of viewing it is to compare how the arcade connects the street, the courtyard, and the interior. The long 213-meter corridor functions as a covered street, but the two upper floors and the slightly curved glass roof in a cast-iron frame make the space resemble a large interior room. It is worth noticing the pilasters: they divide the passage into separate shopfronts and show how architecture organizes commerce.

The facades are important too. The two identical facades recall Vasari’s narrow courtyard in the Uffizi in Florence, while the overall appearance is in the Italian Cinquecento style. The motto “Omnibus omnia” — “everything for everyone” — is worth comparing with the luxury shops that appeared here from the very beginning. This detail clearly reveals the paradox of the arcade: an open formula for everyone and a carefully designed space for a new urban public.