Inaugurated in June 1847 by King Leopold I, these galleries combine the King’s gallery and the Queen’s

gallery, while the Princes’ gallery was added later on. Designed by architect Jean-Pierre Cluysenaar

(1811-1880) and the result of a private initiative, the Royal Galleries of Saint-Hubert met the needs

of the new society (tea rooms, restaurants, theatres). The Galleries protected passers-by from rain

and the mud of horse carriages. Some 213 metres long, the galleries are lined with luxury shops, cafés,

several chocolate makers, trendy boutiques and bookshops. The story goes that the Royal Galleries of

Saint-Hubert were the main location of an artistic and literary circle frequented by Victor Hugo, Alexandre

Dumas and Edgar Quinet. It is in the King’s gallery among others that the first public showing in Belgium

of Lumières’ moving pictures took place.