Abattoir, Protected industrial heritage site in Cureghem district, Brussels, Belgium.
The Abattoir is a protected industrial building made of iron and glass in Anderlecht, Brussels, now used as a marketplace and office plaza. It is made up of several connected halls that house butchers, fishmongers, and other food specialists alongside a weekly open market.
The building was erected in the late 19th century as a municipal slaughterhouse to supply the city with meat. Over the course of the 20th century it lost its original role and was gradually converted into a market, while keeping its industrial structure intact.
The name Abattoir is simply the French word for slaughterhouse, a reminder of what the building once was, even as shoppers fill it today. On market days, the mix of chefs, traders, and everyday buyers gives the space a working, workaday feel rather than a tourist one.
The site is easy to reach by metro, with a station just steps away and several entrances from surrounding streets. The market runs mainly on weekends, so arriving early in the morning gives you the best choice of goods.
The section known as Foodmet brings together a dense collection of specialized butcher counters and a dedicated fish market under one roof. Many of the traders there serve both restaurants and private buyers at the same time, which gives the place a different rhythm from an ordinary food shop.
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