19th-century Passage du Nord restored to former glory

A 19th-century arcade off Brussels' busy Rue Neuve shopping street has been restored to its original splendour, after a top-to-bottom renovation project over 15 years.

The Passage du Nord might not be as famous as the Saint-Hubert Royal Galleries, which are celebrated in just about any collection of photos of Brussels, but the arcade connecting Rue Neuve with Boulevard Adolphe Max is definitely worth discovering.

Designed to impress in 1881, the 70m-long arcade is the home to 32 caryatids, symbolising such endeavours as architecture, decorative arts, metallurgy, commerce, astronomy and the navy. Additionally there are two monumental statues of children, one the allegory of meditation, the other of recreation.

Completing the luxurious atmosphere is the glass canopy and the rich decorative details including ornate clocks that have been put back in working order.

Behind the scenes, all the electric systems have been brought up to date and structural reinforcement was completed. Originally there was a museum on the upper floors including a concert hall that could accommodate 800 people - those spaces are now being turned into apartments and offices.

The shops range from the Coutellerie du Roi, a cutlery store which has been a tenant since the arcade opened in 1882 (and actually had a store elsewhere in central Brussels from 1750) to Davidoff, purveyor of quality cigars and smoking accessories which has been a tenant for decades, plus sandwich shops, fashion, leather goods and artisanal Brussels waffles.

"Here you can experience the atmosphere of 19th-century pre-Art Nouveau Brussels, take a trip back to an earlier era and enjoy an interesting shopping experience at the same time," said Passage du Nord director Xavier Verhaeghe.

"Since the restoration we have been amazed by the number of people who take photos of the arcade every day and post them on social media. It’s remarkable how the revitalisation of the passage has really changed the way people see it."

The restoration was conceived almost 20 years ago - so it has no connection to the pedestrian zone - but it fits in with that project and both should benefit from each other.