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Photo: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
This is a rather small medieval castle on the banks of the river Schelde. It used to function as a city fortification and housed a naval museum. The Visitor Center and attraction The Antwerp Story are located here since 2021. There is a panoramic terrace and the starting point of the Wandelterrassen, a scenic boardwalk.
Het Steen is a medieval fortress in the old city centre of Antwerp, Belgium, one of Europe's biggest ports. The surviving structure was built between 1200 and 1225 as a gateway to a larger castle of the Dukes of Brabant which was demolished in the 19th century. As the first stone fortification of Antwerp, Het Steen is Antwerp's oldest building and used to be part of its oldest urban centre. The words "Het Steen", translated from Dutch mean "the rock" in English, although that is not the equivalent etymological meaning.
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Museum devoted to graphics. Permanently Featuring works by Francisco Goya, Félicien Rops and Edvard Munch. There are also temporary exhibitions.
Literally, the "Meat house". It was built as the guild hall for the butchers. Every day tonnes of meat changed owners here. The building is famous for the original masonry made to resemble stacks of bacon (switching between white stones and red bricks). It now houses a museum, of which the main part comprises a musical instrument collection, including some examples of old harpsichords built by the local Ruckers family.
You can take a guided tour of the underground city of Antwerp. 90 minutes. Free with City Card.
Stadhuis/Grote Markt
This is the historical centre of town. The market square is surrounded by the typical medieval guild houses you find in most Flemish historical towns. The city hall is designed in special architectural style with a combination between Gothic and early Renaissance, and is a . This style is almost exclusively found in this region of Europe. The Brabo Fountain (Dutch: Brabofontein) is located in front of the city hall. Restaurants with terraces surround the square. During winter the Grote Markt is decorated with Christmas lights and a large Christmas tree. Several events take place at this location. Nice view of the cathedral.
Connects Hoogstraat, Oude Koornmarkt and Pelgrimsstraat. It is a real street, but only accessible through unassuming medieval front doors in the streets. The medieval equivalent of a gated community. It now houses nice, informal restaurants and chic, discrete houses. A must see!
Sint-Pauluskerk
A beautiful mixed gothic and baroque church formerly part of a nunnery. Noted for its Calvary monument. It is a short distance north of the Grote Maarkt on Zwartzustersstraat.