Antwerp is the second most important city in Belgium. For most people, this place is associated with a very large seaport, as well as the Middle Ages and Peter Rubens. It was this man who made an invaluable contribution to the development of the city of Antwerp. Thanks to him, the village is famous for its colorful museums, in addition, many tourists adore Belgian beer. The city has many universities and industrial enterprises, which almost every resident of European countries knows about.
As for the port, it is the second largest in Europe, after the port in Rotterdam. Included in the twenty largest and best in the world.
The population in the city is not very large. Only 500 thousand people.
Antwerp - attractions. Description photo
The city is very rich in attractions, here the Middle Ages is combined with modernity, and this is what makes the place so special.
It is from the train station that cultural education begins. The station looks very spacious, the structure appeared at the beginning of the XX century. The architect of the building is the famous Louis Delasenseri. He managed to bring several completely different styles to this place at once, so the station turned out to be close in spirit to the medieval city.
Many travelers note that they associate this station with the Louvre, as well as Notre Dame Cathedral. Interestingly, more than 20 types of marble were used in the decoration. Huge stately stained glass windows help create natural light inside the building. Even if you arrived in the city not by train, you should definitely visit this place.
Grote Markt
In Antwerp, a landmark called Grote Markt is one of the most famous. The historical monument was created in the XVI century. The square is one of the most picturesque and vibrant in the whole city. Its second name is the large area of Antwerp. Located near the river Scheldt. Surrounds her famous cathedral.
On the territory are the most famous architectural structures: church houses, the town hall, as well as the beautiful Brabo fountain. Most of these attractions were created in the XVI and XVII centuries, but some of them were destroyed, and in the XIX century was reconstructed.
As for the fountain, it was built in 1887. By the way, the origin of the name of the city is connected with the statue of Brabo.
Town Hall
The town hall is located on the Grote Markt square. It was built in the XVI century, so the structure contains some Gothic elements in the decoration. The Town Hall is a very vivid representative of the Renaissance in the Netherlands, since it was built at the very beginning of this historical period.
At the town hall itself are statues of members of the famous Habsburg dynasty, as well as honorary counts of the city.
While the Spaniards were about to capture Antwerp, the village was very badly damaged, especially the town hall.
It is not always possible to get to the town hall, only on tourist days. If you're lucky, then be sure to take advantage of this. It’s definitely worth seeing, the inside of the building is no less interesting.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp
In Antwerp, the attraction is one of the most interesting. The construction of the monument began in the XIV century and it is believed that it has not yet been completed. Perhaps he would have been completed, if not for the uprising in 1566, as well as some church difficulties and unrest. The interior of the cathedral is baroque. There are also several private altars of honorary citizens of Antwerp.
Rubens House
As was written above, Peter Rubens is very important for Antwerp, as he played an important role in the history of this wonderful city. That is why his house is the most visited place in the whole city. Now the dwelling has become a kind of museum, where his paintings are exhibited, as well as the work of students. In addition, inside the building there is a lot of antique furniture. The interior is made in the Baroque style.
In the first half of the XX century it was nationalized and reconstructed.
Butchers House
The famous building, a landmark of Antwerp, was built in the 16th century. In those years, it belonged to the Butchers Guild. They were very rich and could afford to build anything. But in the XVIII century, the authorities decided to take away this property from them, dismissing the entire association.
Outside, as you can see, the building is very harsh and sheltered. It resembles a castle. The house is decorated with red brick, decorated with Gothic towers and windows.
Castle walls
In the 13th century, this remarkable structure was built on the Scheldt River. In that era, the castle was considered the only stone building in the whole city. Basically, the rest of the houses were built of wood.
It is interesting that until the XIX century it was a prison, after, in the XX century, opposite the sights of Antwerp, a monument was built to Long Wapper, which, according to popular legend, confused and killed people.
Royal Museum of Fine Arts
One of the most revered attractions in Antwerp (Belgium) was built in the 19th century. The museum has many cultural exhibits; more than 7 thousand paintings, prints and sculptures have been collected. All of them cover the period from the XIV century to the XX. The main value of the museum is a collection of works by the famous Belgian artist James Ensor, as well as some sculptures by Rick Wauters.
Diamond museum
Antwerp's life is partly related to the processing of valuable minerals, including diamonds. The city has been doing this for more than 500 years, so it’s not at all surprising that this famous museum was opened here.
This attraction of the city of Antwerp is rich in its rarities. The exhibits of the museum are various things from the XVI century to the present day, there are copies of precious stones of celebrities. For example, diamonds that were once worn by Sophia Loren and Marilyn Monroe are stored in this place. One of the main values is the Rubens brooch. Once the famous artist received her as a gift from the king of Spain.
In addition, there are some interesting tools for processing minerals and metals.
Monument to Peter I
In the city there is a monument to the Russian emperor Peter I, erected at the end of the 20th century by the architect Frangulyan. As you know, there is a law in the city that you can’t put up monuments to a political figure, but the Russian emperor was the only exception, since Peter played a very interesting role in the history of Belgium. The figure is made of bronze, which can be seen at a glance. The monument is located opposite the Abbey of St. Michael, in which the Russian Tsar once stayed. It is known that Peter stayed in the city under the guise of an ordinary sailor, but his secret was not kept. He scolded servants for this for a very long time, and was later received with honor by the nobility of Antwerp. As they say, it was because of this curious incident that the emperor was awarded a monument.
What sights of Antwerp can you see in one day?
I would like to recommend you the following route - from the railway station move towards a large area, then walk to the castle walls and visit the famous diamond museum. To feel the spirit of Belgium, you can drink a glass of beer in some city bar. If traveling with children, go to the popular zoo or oceanarium.
There are a lot of attractions in Antwerp, so go to the place in which you are more interested. This is just an example scenario where you can spend your day.
Reviews
At the end of the article, I would like to talk a little about the reviews about the attractions of Antwerp that tourists leave. Most of them note that there is not a single drawback in Antwerp. Many people think that it is best to visit the village during the Christmas holidays, because it is at this time that the city is very atmospheric. It is beautifully decorated, and the climate in Belgium is quite mild and walks are a great pleasure. It rarely rains here, and it pleases.
The only minus is a lot of thieves, so you should hold your bags tighter, otherwise you risk being left without money and valuables. It is also believed that there are many migrants, but this is so in many parts of Europe and not only.
In addition, it is described that the village is very expensive. Indeed, prices for many things are not the cheapest.
Conclusion
Antwerp is a wonderful medieval city, able to combine antiquity and modernity. Thanks to this, the village attracts tourists so much. Even if you can fully explore Antwerp, you still want to return here. Seeing him once, you will certainly want to do it again.