Vieille Bourse de Lille

This ornate seventeenth-century former stock exchange is a jewel of Flemish Renaissance architecture, made up of two dozen identical houses ringing an arcaded courtyard. Richly carved with garlands, caryatids, and mascarons, it reflects the wealth of Lille's merchant class under Spanish rule. The inner court now hosts a daily secondhand book market, chess players, and occasional dance evenings beneath the arcades. Set between the city's two grand central squares, it is widely regarded as the most beautiful building in Lille.