Bortier Gallery

The Bortier Gallery is a covered passage between Rue de la Madeleine and Rue Saint-Jean topped with glass that allows daylight to flood the corridor. The interior is lined with bookshops and small retailers that define the character of this protected passageway.

Architect Jean-Pierre Cluysenaer designed the gallery in 1847, and it opened in 1848 as part of a broader development project. The structure incorporates a historic facade from 1763 into its composition.

The gallery has long served as a gathering place for book lovers and collectors seeking rare editions and old prints. This space remains a meeting point where readers and enthusiasts share their passion for literature.

The passageway offers shelter from the weather and connects two major central streets in Brussels. Walking through it is straightforward and accessible, though it can get crowded during peak hours.

The location became known for its connection to stamp collecting and philatelic materials through Jean-Baptiste Moens, who worked here and drew specialists in that field. This unexpected link to numismatic passion gives the passageway a distinct identity among Brussels's commercial spaces.