The idea behind the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert came from Jean-Pierre Cluysenaar in 1837, and they were inaugurated ten years later by King Leopold I. Known as the “Umbrella of Brussels”, this monumental covered passageway bears beautiful witness to the city’s commercial development before the arrival of department stores. The Royal Galleries became a much appreciated meeting place for the inhabitants of Brussels, intellectuals and political refugees, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas and Charles Baudelaire among them. Listed in 1986, they comprise three shopping arcades: the Queen’s Gallery, the King’s Gallery and the Princes’ Gallery. Today the Royal Galleries house numerous stores and entertainment venues, as well as co-working spaces, hotel rooms and apartments on the upper floors. Behind the well-known façades, the guided visits exceptionally include an upper-floor apartment and the offices of the Société des Galeries, as well as the structure of the glass roof which is accessible from the top floor.