Belgium, A Stop in Antwerp

From Amsterdam we were off to Bruges, Belgium for a few days. We had to change trains in Antwerp, so we decided to layover there for a few hours. After arriving at the magnificent Central Station, Antwerpen Centraal, we tossed our bags in a locker then headed through the majestic great hall and out to explore.

Antwerpen Centraal

Built around the turn of the 20th century, the train station is itself a showpiece. It is worth taking a moment to appreciate the great hall and the building’s façade, even if not arriving by train.

Great Hall of Antwerpen Centraal

Directly outside of the train station is one of the world’s largest diamond districts. Raw diamonds are prepared, cut, and sold here. For those interested in understanding more about the diamond industry, the small Diamond Museum, Diamantmuseum, is located in the square.

Further down, toward the Old Town, stands the former home of the prolific artist, Peter Paul Rubens. The home provides an interesting look into the artist’s works and showcases a few original paintings. The house has been completely restored so, unfortunately, there is nothing original in it.

Town Hall, Stadhuis

The town’s main square, Grote Markt, is flanked by the flag-adorned Town Hall, Stadhuis, and the steeple of the Cathedral of Our Lady. The Town Hall’s façade dates from the 16th century, Antwerp’s golden age. The building is decorated with the flags of the European Union countries as well as the countries that have a consulate in Antwerp. The building was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999.

Cathedral of Our Lady's Spire

Boasting the tallest steeple in the Low Countries, the Cathedral of Our Lady is Antwerp’s largest church. The Cathedral has had a long and difficult past. It was marred by fire a few years after its completion in the middle ages. It was twice stripped of its interior décor, first by the protestants and then by Napoleon. After turning the church into a stable, Napoleon planned to destroy it, but he was defeated prior to its destruction and the church has survived to this day. Four Rubens were housed in the church where copies now usually hang. The originals are in the Museum of Fine Art but have been temporarily moved back to the cathedral during the museum’s renovation. The stained-glass windows are lovely, and a few are original.

Cathedral of Our Lady

Guild houses also line the square, and many have cafés on the main floor, nice for having a bite to eat while watching the locals go about their day. The elaborate fountain in the middle tells a tale from Flemish folklore of an odious giant and a brave Roman soldier. The rather gory scene depicted by the statue is of the soldier throwing the giant’s severed hand into the river.

There isn’t much to see on Antwerp’s once important Scheldt riverfront. Around 950 AD, Emperor Otto I built a castle, Het Steen, to defend against Viking attacks. Part of the original structure remains but most of today's stone fortress was built in the early 13th century. There isn’t anything currently housed in the castle, but it is undergoing a massive renovation and will open sometime this year as a cruise terminal, welcome center, and an interactive experience focused on Antwerp and its history.

Guild Houses Line the Square

There are several museums spread throughout Antwerp including The Royal Museum of Fine Art Antwerp which, as mentioned above, is also currently being renovated. Located in the trendy South, Zuid, district, the museum houses an impressive collection of art including paintings by Flemish primitives, Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling and works by Quentin Massys, the founding father of Antwerp’s painting school. Nineteenth-century artists and modernists such as Rubens, Sir Anthony Van Dyck and Jacob Jordaens are on display as are works by James Ensor and Rik Wouters, as well as the foreign artists Titian, Frans Hals, Auguste Rodin and Amedeo Modigliani.

Outdoor Cafés 

Nicolaas Rockox was a mayor of Antwerp and a sponsor of Peter Paul Rubens. His home has been turned into a museum and, unlike the Rubens house which was remodeled, it is a true period home with fine art and furniture collections. A lovely period courtyard and garden are also showcased. The Musical Instruments Museum, Museum Vleehuis, houses a good collection of, of course, musical instruments and old music manuscripts.

Antwerp was an important printing city during its Golden Age. The Museum Plantin-Moretus illustrates the history of the local printing industry through displays of old printing presses, maps, antique manuscripts, and a Gutenberg Bible. The building also shows off handsome rooms with tapestry wall hangings and paintings.

Het Steen

The city has quite a fashion area called the Sint-Andries Fashion District. All kinds of shops from funky to couture line the streets. The ModeMuseum, MoMu, offers rotating fashion exhibits that change about every six months. In addition to the fashion district, the area referred to as the Meir is good for a little boutique shopping. It runs between the train station and Old Town.

It was definitely worth waiting for a later train connection and spending some time in Antwerp on the way to Bruges. I try to never miss a chance to easily side trip or make a stop while traveling from one town to another. There is so much to see and enjoy, so why waste an opportunity. I’ll write about the charming town of Bruges in a future post.