The beautiful Passage du Nord was until recently a forgotten arcade in the heart of Brussels.
Built in 1881, this ornate glass-roofed gallery originally had 30 shops, several theatres and a museum.
The shop fronts were recently restored and the shop names repainted in the old style. The two rows of 32 Caryatides representing art and industry have also been renovated.
The museum vanished a long time ago, but you can still read the name Musée du Nord on the wall above the arcade entrance on Boulevard Adolphe Max. This mysterious institution only lasted 14 years.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
