Antwerp is an international port city on Belgium’s River Scheldt, with history dating to the Middle Ages. In its center, the centuries-old
Diamond District houses thousands of traders, cutters and polishers. Its Royal Academy of Fine Arts, founded in 1663, is today a well-known European fashion academy, where the local designers the Antwerp Six made the city a hotbed for the 1980s avant-garde.
Cathedral of Our Lady
Cathedral of Our Lady is one of the first gothic masterpieces in Europe. What was once a church became a cathedral in 1559 replacing a 12th century Roman church. For many centuries it was the tallest building in the Low Countries and even now it is the tallest one in Antwerp City. The interior of the cathedral catches instant attention due to Ruben’s four paintings, ‘Descent from the Cross’, ‘Elevation from the cross’, ‘Resurrection Triptych’ and ‘The Assumption’.
Address: Groenplaats 21, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
For more information, Visit Cathedral of Our Lady
Address: Groenplaats 21, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
For more information, Visit Cathedral of Our Lady
Steen Castle
Het Steen was initially used for fortification purposes encircling the alluvial mound. From the time it was built in the 11th century, it has been survived from many attacks. It is called Het Steen because ‘Steen’ in Dutch means ‘stone’ and the fort was among the first stone constructions in Belgium. Over the years its architecture has been
altered many times. Once used as a prison now it houses a National Maritime Museum.
Address: Steenplein 1, B-2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Address: Steenplein 1, B-2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Antwerpen Central Station
The Antwerpen Central Station is a major monument in Antwerp as it was the terminal for oldest railway track in Belgium between Brussels and Antwerp via Mechelen. The architecture was designed by Louis Delacenserie in neo barque style with the help of marble, glass and stone. The platforms are sheltered by huge iron and glass domes. Its interiors can be compared to any European palace.
Address: Koning Astrid Plein, 2018 Antwerpen, Belgium
Middelheim Open Air Museum
The Middelheim Open Air Museum is a tribute to artworks by contemporary artists such as Rodin, Bourdelle, and Manzu. The museum contains more than 300 works displayed in the Middelheim open air Park. The museum’s first exhibition was held in 1950 and thereon due to the structure of the museum and the artworks displayed there, it has attained an international recognition.
Address: Middelheim museum, Middelheim 61, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
For more information, Visit Middelheim Open Air Museum
Address: Middelheim museum, Middelheim 61, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
For more information, Visit Middelheim Open Air Museum
Antwerp Port
The Antwerp Port has always held the responsibility of transforming the city into what it is today, modern, cosmopolitan and flourishing. It is the second largest port in Europe and a place for major trading in cargo on a daily basis. For all classes of people, be it the tourists, locals, students, migrants, artists, the port has always been a centre of attraction.
Address: Havenhuis, Entrepotkaai 1, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
For more information, Visit Antwerp Port
Address: Havenhuis, Entrepotkaai 1, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
For more information, Visit Antwerp Port
Saint Carolus Borromeus Church
This church is an exellent example of Ruben’s artwork. What we see today of its interiors has mostly been done by Ruben. The church was originally constructed by a Jesuit mathematician, François d'Aguilon who named it as Ignatius church. After it was sold by the Jesuit’s to the Parish, they named it as Saint Carolus Borromeus Church. The paintings, wooden sculptures, and monuments tell the story of the Church’s magnificence and position in previous eras.
Address: Sint-Carolus Borromeuskerk, Hendrik Conscienceplein 6, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Brabo Statue on Grote Markt
The Brabo Statue at the Grote Market is dedicated to Barbo who once saved the city from a giant named Antigoon, who used to chop off hands if travellers refused to pay toll for crossing the Scheldt River. It was Barbo who fought with giant and chopped off his hand and threw it in the river. The words ‘hand throwing’ when translated in dutch mean ‘Hantwerpen’, hence the city’s name ‘Antwerpen’. The statue holds a lot of symbolic value for Antwerp’s residents.
Address: City Square, Grote Markt, Antwerpen, Belgium
KBC Tower
The KBC Tower/ Farmer’s Tower (Boerentoren) is the second largest building in Antwerp. At the time of its construction in 1930, it was the first skyscraper in Western Europe and today it is a protected monument. The
buiding is designed in an Art-Deco style by Jan Van Hoenacker. Initially it housed residential as well as official complexes but now only offices reside in it. Today it is the address of the largest bank in Flanders, KBC Bank.
Address: Boerentoren, Antwerpen, Belgium
Diamond District
Antwerp and diamonds are one and the same with the city being known as the world’s diamond capital for it’s trading in 80% of the world’s unpolished diamonds. So it’s but natural that it will have its own Diamond hub, located near the Central Station, where you can shop for diamonds and jewellery. There is also a diamondland which is the largest diamond shop in Antwerp. Watch polishers, cutters and goldsmith’s at work and actually get to know how a rough diamond is polished into the world’s most wanted piece of jewellery.
Address: Diamondland NV, Appelmansstraat 33A, 2018 Antwerpen, Belgium
