If you walk along the Meir and look up carefully, you will see something special at number 85: a graceful golden angel, holding lightning bolts that reach threateningly towards the sky. But why is she there?

The statue adorns the roof of the former Grand Bazar building and is a remnant from the time when this impressive structure symbolized modernity and luxury. The angel is an allegory of electricity – a revolutionary force in the early 20th century. The lightning bolts in her hands stand for progress, energy, and the new era that was dawning.

The building itself was constructed around 1903-1905 on behalf of the Bernheim brothers, as one of the first department stores in Belgium. With its metal skeleton and glass roof, it exuded modernity – and the angel on the roof completed the look.

The angel is not just decoration: she overlooks the Meir as a kind of guardian goddess of the shopping street. Her posture is powerful and elevated, and the golden color makes her shine in the sunlight. A beautiful example of symbolism and architectural daring that you can easily overlook if you only focus on the shop windows below.