Géopolis occupies a unique exhibition space within the Ateliers des Tanneurs complex, located in the heart of Brussels between the Sablon and the Place du Jeu de Balles.
A heritage site
Géopolis is housed within the “Palais du Vin” architectural complex, a group of buildings that bears witness to the flourishing economic activity of the early 20th century. Formerly dedicated to the wine trade, it is representative of the neighborhood’s commercial activity, which was highly prosperous at the time. The architect F. Symons designed a prestigious Art Nouveau-inspired facade for the Palais du Vin, evocative of the great European wine centers.
In the 1980s, the Palais du Vin’s activities experienced rapid growth, going from two million bottles sold in 1970 to eleven million in 1987. Operations were relocated in 1996 to a new building near the Brussels canal, and the building on Rue des Tanneurs was abandoned before being purchased by the CPAS. Classified as a heritage site since 2001 and subsequently renovated, it is the result of numerous transformations.
