Bourse at Antwerp, Exchange building near Meir commercial street, Antwerp, Belgium
The Bourse is a public building featuring a rectangular courtyard enclosed by columns in Moorish style, with a glass dome overhead providing natural light and weather protection. The central space now serves as a multipurpose venue with dining areas and various activities throughout the year.
The building opened in 1531 as the first structure specifically designed for commodity trading, and its design influenced later stock exchanges in London and elsewhere in Europe. It marked a turning point in how trading spaces were built, establishing a model for organized commerce.
The trading floor was a gathering place where merchants from across Europe and beyond came to conduct business and negotiate deals. The covered courtyard and colonnades reflect this commercial purpose and show how the building was designed for people to move about and interact.
The building underwent extensive renovation completed in 2019 and now includes restaurants and dining options alongside event spaces. Visitors can typically access the venue during its busiest periods from Thursday through Sunday.
Excavations during the recent restoration uncovered medieval walls, hearths, and Iron Age pottery beneath the building's foundations. These discoveries reveal that the site had been occupied for centuries before the trading building was constructed.
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