Antwerp landmarks - 13 most interesting places

Today we are going to visit one of the most famous cities in Belgium - Antwerp. Looking ahead, it is worth noting that the place is famous for its diamond cutters, and has recently been one of the places where the best designer clothes on the planet are produced. But his fame and significance is not limited to this. Even the most demanding tourist will be able to appreciate the impressive sights, plunge into the world of unusual architecture and get acquainted with local traditions, which, without exaggeration, can be called unique.

Legends and myths

According to one of the local myths, the control of the river on which Antwerp is located was controlled by an evil giant. He demanded an exorbitant payment from each traveler for the right to continue his journey here. If the payment was not received, he cut off the hand of all those who refused. And so it went on until one brave Roman was able to defeat the giant. The severed hand of a giant, which the hero threw into the river, gave such an unusual name to the settlement.

Well, if you ignore the legends, you can find a perfectly reasonable explanation for the name. Translated from the local dialect, “aanwerp” means an alluvial hill on which the city walls are built. The first mentions of it date back to distant times, when the influence of the Halo-Roman tribes spread over the land. Already in the 7th century, the first fortifications could be observed here, which helped to restrain the violent onslaught of the invaders. In general, there are many bright spots and memorable dates in history; many names are associated with this particular place in Belgium. But we will not delve into it.

Grote Markt

One of the most impressive sights of the city, which attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world every year, is the Grote Markt shopping area. This place is permeated with a long history. It was here that the most significant events took place. The square is surrounded by unique architectural structures, the beauty of which can be envied by any place on the planet. The Grote Markt was built in the distant 16th century and has retained its amazing beauty and enchanting uniqueness to this day. That only there is an incomparable fountain in the very center, which appears to tourists in the form of a legendary Roman, which put an end to the tyranny of a fierce giant.

Sylvius Brabon was forever frozen with the giant's hand raised victoriously. This place seems to symbolize the beginning of a new era in Antwerp. Here you can also taste all the beauty of the ingenious town hall, which is recognized as one of the most striking architectural masterpieces in Europe at that time. The building impresses with its unusual and rare combination of two directions in architecture at once - Flemish Gothic and Italian Renaissance.

If you turn your gaze to the northern part of the Grote Markt, an equally enchanting view opens up before your eyes of the richly decorated guild houses, which are lavishly furnished with statues of the purest gold and the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, which is made in the best traditions of the Gothic. Just imagine, the construction of the cathedral lasted two long centuries!

Sten Castle

It is located in the very center and is a monumental architectural monument. According to preliminary data, construction began in the 9th century. What did not have to see the stone walls over the long years of its existence! At first, the castle housed the estate of one of the main leaders of the Crusades - Gottfried of Bouillon. A little later, representatives of the municipality chose the spacious halls, and a few years later it became the main center of the Inquisition. In the dungeons, cruel sentences were set in motion, which sternly settled accounts with all heretics, dissidents, and even witches.

Nowadays, the castle has turned into a real seafaring house, which has been given the status of the National. And only here you can see an ingenious sculpture dedicated to one of the main heroes of local legends and horror stories for children - Lanky Wapper. He had the unique ability to change his appearance and turn into dwarfs, then into giants, frightening naughty children.

Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp

To appreciate all the cultural, religious and historical significance of the brilliant Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp, you should definitely include a visit to this place in your excursion plan. Just think, according to the absolute majority of experts and historians, the cathedral is a real monument of culture of the Middle Ages, and is also included in the list of the most impressive temples of the Catholic Church. Not surprisingly, it is recognized as another symbol of modern Antwerp and is the tallest religious building in the entire territory of Belgium.

Its height reaches a breathtaking 123 meters. Nowadays, the cathedral has another appointment. For some time now, its grandiose halls house the most impressive works of such artists as Rubens, van Veen, Jacob de Baker and Martin de Vos. A couple of huge organs also require special attention. The most impressive one is over 130 years old and occupies a space of three floors!

Butcher's house

Once in Antwerp, it is worth visiting another impressive architectural landmark - the Butchers' House. Its façade is framed by a successful combination of red brick and white stone. From a distance, it looks a lot like a piece of delicious bacon, hence the name. Every inch of the House makes you fall in love. There is a mysterious shimmer of glass, and gabled roof protrusions, and rich decoration made of rare natural materials.

At one time, it was the House of Butchers that emphasized the status and wealth of the privileged guild of merchants. Once upon a time, social events were held on the upper floors, to which only a select few could enter. And today everyone can visit this place, since a brilliant museum of archeology, history and applied arts is open here. Here is one of the most impressive collections of weapons from different times.

World Diamond Center

To visit Belgium and not visit the house of diamonds in Antwerp is akin to a crime. The World Diamond Center is pleased to welcome every traveler, hastily opening up to him a world of wealth, luxury and abundance. Finding yourself in the company of a huge number of precious stones, you will certainly feel like an aristocrat endowed with unlimited power. The stones sparkling with all the colors of the rainbow inspire, enchant and conquer. It is very difficult to resist the temptation to even touch the colossally expensive exhibits, which have no analogue in the whole world!

That only are diamond jeans or unique replicas of jewelry owned by the British royal family. By the way, only in this museum you can see the best copy of the most famous diamond "Kohinoor". Do not deny yourself the pleasure and be sure to look into the unique halls of the Diamond Museum! By the way, we strongly recommend using the services of guides or at least an audio guide. In such a company, you will not be able to get lost among this abundance of precious stones and will have time to see the best of them with your own eyes.

It is worth giving credit to the authorities. Thanks to their efforts, the museum is equipped with "the latest technology", allowing even disabled tourists to take a full walk.

Well, for the most demanding visitors, the museum staff are ready to organize a real tour to find the perfect stone. True, this is only a virtual service.

Antwerp Zoo

If during a walk you see an inviting sign to visit the zoo, do not twist your nose. Believe me, you will not see this in any city in the world! To begin with, the Antwerp Zoo is considered one of the oldest. The first mention of it dates back to 1843. Today, there are about 5,000 animals here, many of which are on the verge of extinction. The zoo's carrying capacity is amazing. Over a year, more than 1.5 million visitors manage to visit the cages, pavilions, hedges, who come thousands of kilometers to look at the marvelous inhabitants of the most beautiful and protected zoo in the world.

And to even more accurately assess the size of the zoo, imagine that every day animals eat more than 50 tons of meat, 40 tons of fish, 128 tons of hay and 70 tons of vegetables and fruits. And the number of loaves of bread that the inhabitants of the zoo "devour" per day exceeds 10 thousand! One of the oldest zoos in the world was organized outside the city in 1843, and now it is difficult to imagine, because over the years Antwerp has grown so much that the abode of animals and birds has ended up in the center of the city. Its territory has become an oasis of wildlife among the urban heaps of a big city, and the zoo itself has become a historical monument of the past and a favorite place of entertainment for people in the present.

Hundreds of Antwerp residents and tourists strive to get here, attracted by the beautiful view of ancient buildings, spectacular columns of the central entrance with interesting design elements. But it is difficult to convey in words how many positive emotions visitors experience when they find themselves inside, where 5 thousand animals of more than 950 species live in clean, well-groomed open-air cages, reservoirs, parks and lawns! The maintenance of animals and birds is at such a high level that their free brothers can only envy them. African predators and primates, Australian unique animals and representatives of the Arctic fauna live freely and satisfyingly in this zoo, where ideal living conditions have been created.

Giraffes, elephants, zebras, camels, rhinos, hippos do not live anywhere, but in an Egyptian temple, built in 1856 especially for these animals. The external decoration of the "temple" is really done in a typical ancient Egyptian style. The art painting, restored in 2014, looks bright and fresh, emphasizing the flavor of North Africa. To make it easier to navigate the large area of ​​the zoo, you can look at the illustrative map and use it to determine your route, although there are signposts everywhere on the territory.

It is so beautiful and comfortable here that many people spend birthdays, meetings, mini-conferences in nature there. The impressions of everything seen here are simply amazing, especially for children who see exotic animals live for the first time.

Royal Museum of Fine Arts

Looking at the building of unusual design and irresistibly beautiful architecture, you immediately conclude that it, as well as possible, corresponds to its purpose - to contain works of fine arts. High Corinthian columns with molded decorations, sculptural statues on the attic, arched vaults of windows make the building a magnificent example of the neoclassical style of architecture of the late 18th century. It is no coincidence that such a museum appeared in Antwerp, where the guild of Belgian artists was very active, which later grew into the framework of the Academy, which inherited the collection of the guild's art collections. It was they who became the basis of the future Museum of Fine Arts.

The interior layout also corresponds to its purpose: large, light rooms, a wide staircase can accommodate a respectable audience and many exhibits, most of which are works of art by Belgian masters.

The works of famous Flemish and Dutch painters are presented here (in separate rooms).

Museum Mayer Van den Berg

There is a place in Antwerp, visiting which, you will find yourself in the atmosphere of the 15th century. This is the Van den Berg Museum, located in a patrician house, with well-preserved features of that era: dark oak panels, a narrow spiral staircase, windows with many bindings. Entering the museum, you immediately feel not the official character of the institution, but a certain intimate individuality and you learn that the museum collection is private, donated to the city. In the placement of exhibits, in their classification, one can feel the hobbies and preferences of the collector - Mayer Van den Berg.

The unique collection began with the young Mayer's hobby for numismatics, which later grew into collecting a variety of art objects, both classical and applied. The expositions of the museum include paintings by famous painters, sculptures made of wood, bronze, marble, ivory; items from porcelain, faience, lace, tapestry, embroidery. In memory of the early death of her son, the mother carefully preserved everything, and then donated it to the city.

Through the unique exhibits, one can see the unique taste of the collector, his versatile enthusiasm, deviating from the rules of science. He did not seek to maintain chronology and periodization in the congregation, paying tribute to the beauty and grace of things. They are real treasures that delight museum visitors. Among them is an unsurpassed artistic masterpiece - a triptych on the altar, created by an unknown painter: "The Nativity of Christ", "St. Christopher "and" Resurrection ". There is not one such masterpiece here, so the authorities of Antwerp are sensitive to the invaluable gift of Van den Berg.

Museum "an de Strom"

“Museum on the River” - this is how its name sounds in translation, because it is really located by the river. A bright, original architecture building, like the mast of a ship, rises above the river expanse. This is the new Shipping Company Museum, opened in 2011, with 6,000 thematic expositions. The unusual configuration of the building is the result of a winning design by a Dutch architecture firm, whose innovative ideas are perfectly reflected in the amazing structure. It can be seen from afar, like a lighthouse, because the walls are clad with Indian red sandstone. On one of the walls, the decor embodies the legend of the brave warrior Brabo, who cut off the hand of the giant ruler who dominated the city, and thereby freed its inhabitants from the burden of tribute. The image of the hand is a symbol of the victory of Antwerp.

The exposition of the museum acquaints visitors in detail with the history of the Antwerp port, with the past of the city, with the history of the shipping company. Rare exhibits illustrate the development of shipbuilding in Flanders, Antwerp's long-term maritime connection with all continents. Models of various sea vessels from antiquity to modern times are presented in it. There are exotic exhibits - evidence of Belgium's colonial possession over the Congo. The richest collections of "An de Stroma" amaze the imagination with their quantity and uniqueness.

Central railway station

All passengers arriving in Amsterdam are greeted by a huge railway station building, more reminiscent of a medieval luxurious Renaissance-style castle. It is the largest urban and international transport hub. Every day 250 thousand passengers pass through the portals of the station. Several tram and bus lines of the city are laid here, ferry companies' berths are located here, providing the delivery of people and transport to the northern part of Amsterdam.

The station building is a magnificent monument of neo-Renaissance architecture, opened in 1882. They strive to preserve the external beauty of an architectural masterpiece in its original form. Regular reconstruction of the station is now underway, a grandiose construction is underway on the station square, where a new metro line is being created.

House of Rubens

This modest name runs counter to what is meant by it: a house is too primitive a definition for everything that visitors see here.Rather, it is the abode of artistic art, where every detail, every object is the personification of the great gift of the artist from God. The masterpiece was under construction for 7 years (1611-1618), step by step embodying the creative ideas of the owner, who decided to create not an ordinary house, but a work of art. The first guests arriving at the house froze with delighted amazement that seized them from the first steps to the last: everything here was incredibly beautiful and extraordinary. Among the visitors were very noble persons: dukes and queens, generals and marshals, great scientists, artists and writers.

Rubens's art workshop was his favorite place, where he created his best canvases, met with fellow painters. He selflessly loved his home, where his children were born from his second marriage, in which he lived until his last days (1640). The facade of the house faces Rubensstraat, leaving the main part in the depths of the courtyard. The wing of the house with living rooms is built in the old Flemish style, no frills. Workshop, courtyard portico, garden pavilions are created in the Baroque spirit, with luxurious sculptural decor.

Amazing wood, stone and marble decorations are amazing. We must pay tribute to those who restored Rubens' brainchild from sketches and drawings, since after his death different people owned the house and made their own changes. The national shrine of Antwerp - Rubens' house - has taken its rightful place among other museums.

Antwerp City Hall

The old 4-storey building, which has incorporated into its architecture the bright features of the Gothic and Renaissance of the Renaissance of the Netherlands, attracts attention with a rather pretentious, richly decorated facade. From the very beginning, it (the building) was intended to become a city hall, the project of which was developed by the well-known architect Floris, who used a synthesis of Italian Mannerism and Flemish Gothic. As a result, a wonderful architectural monument of the 16th century appeared, which for centuries served as a haven for the city administration. The undoubted merit of the Antwerp people is the almost complete restoration of the town hall in its original form after the military fire of 1587.

Looking at the building inside, you will never say that the interiors were decorated in the 19th century: everything here is so skillfully stylized as a medieval flavor: oak panels, fireplaces with luxurious decor, paintings and frescoes with urban subjects, leather furniture and a lot of gilding. The facades of the town hall, decorated with columns, gilded noble coats of arms, royal and ducal heraldic symbols, have been unusually splendidly removed. In the wall niches of the magnificent attic tower, there are 3 statues - the Mother of God, Justice and Providence.

In Antwerp, GuruTurizma recommends the following hotels:

Attractions of Atwerpen on the map