Antwerp

Old Town

Set on the broad river Scheldt, at the gateway to the North Sea, Antwerp is one of the leading trading cities of northern Europe, and in the early 17th century it was one of the great cultural centers too. he city, though, has had its share of suffering battered by the religious wars of the 16th century, cut off from the North Sea by treaty with the Netherlands from 1648 to 1795, and bombed in WWII. These historical ups and downs have endowed the city with a keen edge, like its famous diamonds. This dynamic energy is seen today in its hip bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Old Antwerp lies on the east bank of the River Scheldt. The river is so broad that the modern suburb on the west bank seems utterly remote (it is linked by tunnels). The Scheldt is deep enough to bring large ships to Antwerp's docks to the north of the city. This easy access to the North Sea has made Antwerp Europe's second largest port.

 

Grote Markt - The main square of Antwerp is one of the great gilded arenas of Belgium. The city authorities made a virtue of its unusual ''dog-leg'' shape and slope by commissioning sculptor Jef Lambeaux to create an eye-catching fountain, placed off-center, with its water spilling out directly onto the cobbles. It depicts Brabo, a legendary Roman soldier who freed the port of Antwerp by defeating the giant Antigon and throwing his severed hand into the river. The Italian influenced town hall dominates the square. Built in the 1560s, its grand horizontals are offset by the upward curve of the roof-corners, like a smile.

Rubenshuis - a rare opportunity not only to visit the house and studio of one of the great stars of European art, but also to see what a 17th century patrician home looked like.

Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten - Antwerp's fine arts museum is in a similar league to Brussels equivalent, housing a full range of paintings from early Flemish ,,Primitives'' such as Jan van Eyckand Hans Memling, to the Symbolists james Ensor and Rik Wouters. Not surprisingly, special emphasis is placed on Rubens, Jordaens and Van Dyck. The collection is housed in a grand Neo-Classical pile a tram ride or 2 min walk from the city center.

Vleeshuis

Vleeshuis - With its turrets and towers and Gothic detail, the ,,Meat House'' is one of the most beautiful and curious buildings of Antwerp. Built in 1501 - 1504 as the guild-house of the butchers and a meat market, it is now used as a museum of music. From street singers to concert hall, the Vleeshuis charts the history of the city through its many forms of musical expression, using historical instruments, including harpsichords made by the famous Ruckers family, manuscripts and a bell foundry.


Rockoxhuis - Come here for a glimpse of the grace and elegance of 17th century patrician style. A series of rooms contains a fine collection of furniture, paintings and artifacts. The house is named after its owner, city mayor Nicholas Rockox, a philanthropist and a friend and patron of Rubens. There are paintings and drawings by Rubens, Jordaens and Van Dyck, as well as work by Frans Snyders.

Rubenshuis

Rubenshuis - In 1610, Pieter Paul Rubens (1577 - 1640) - court painter, recently returnedfrom Italy, and newly married - found himself in a position to buy a large house, where he lived and worked until his death. After centuries of neglect, the house was rescued by the City of Antwerp in 1937, and has since been refurbished and re-furnished to look as it might have done in Rubens day. Quite apart from the sheer charm of the place, it provides a rare opportunity to see the physical context in which great works of art were made. The house is in two parts set around an inner courtyard. As you enter, the older, Flemish-style half is to the left a series of rooms providing the domestic quarters, where Rubens lived and entertained.

 

Antwerp Hotels

****Julien - A contemporary hotel with gray and white interiors. Fashioned out of two town houses linked by a gray patio, it is located between Meir, the main shopping area, and the cathedral.

**** Radisson SAS Park Lane - As you would expect from the name, the Radisson SAS is a smart, well-run, modern hotel. It faces onto the Stadspark, about 1.5km to the south-east of the cathedral.

***** Hilton Hotel - Overlooking the Groenplaats, right in the middle of Antwerp, is the extraordinary dome-roofed palace built as the Grand Bazar du Bon Marche, a 192s department store. Part of it has now been converted into a top-class, stylish and well-appointed Hilton hotels. Most of the rooms overlook a quiet inner courtyard.

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