Anspach Building

The Anspach Building in Brussels is a modern shopping center that occupies an entire city block between Anspachlaan, Bisschopssraat, Kleerkopersstraat, and Grétrystraat. The complex dates back to 1898, when the first shopping center opened on this site. Over the decades, the building steadily grew through additions involving well-known architects such as Victor Horta and Michel Polak. After going bankrupt in the 1980s and being taken over by the city, the site underwent a thorough renovation in the 2000s. The old facades were preserved, while the interior was transformed into a new ensemble of shopping arcade, hotel, apartments, and the Brussels casino, which reopened in 2009.