<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-01-15</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000912898</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GLIMCHER REALTY TRUST</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GRT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001399675</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>O'Brien Timothy J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>180 EAST BROAD STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>COLUMBUS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>43215</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Trustee</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Shares of Beneficial Interest</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-01-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>28518</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 18,398 common shares of beneficial interest of Glimcher Realty Trust (the &quot;Issuer&quot;) disposed of pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated September 16, 2014 (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot;). Each such common share of beneficial interest held by the Reporting Person was converted into 0.1989 shares of Washington Prime Group Inc. (&quot;WPG&quot;) common stock plus $10.40 in cash upon the consummation of the merger of the Issuer with and into WPG Subsidiary Holdings I, LLC (the &quot;Merger&quot;). Also includes 10,120 restricted share awards, each of which vested as a common share of beneficial interest and was converted into 0.1989 of a WPG common share plus $10.40 in cash, plus any accrued but unpaid dividends with respect to such restricted share award, at the effective time of the Merger.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Mark E. Yale, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-01-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
