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Antwerp, Belgium: a short visit.
Photographers always seem to post pictures of faraway places, preferably with high mountains, lots of snow or tropical sandy beaches.... Well, why not tell something of our own local environment?
At the moment, I live in a small town about 15 min car ride to the west of Antwerp, Belgium. I have always lived and worked in the vicinity of Antwerp. When we go shopping to "the big town" we go to Antwerp; when the children want to visit the Zoo, we go to central Antwerp. On the other hand, practically no pictures of Antwerp seem to be hosted on the 'net. That's why I am making a sort of "local travelogue" detailing the beauty of old Antwerp and its inhabitants.
If You are interested, You can find my first collection of 74 pictures at the following link: http://hdemey.zenfolio.com/p835543619
Antwerp, including neighbouring communities, is a town of about 600.000 inhabitants in the north of Belgium (Flemish part, speaking Flemish or Dutch), on both sides of the river Schelde. The left bank is a small sleeping community of recent development; there is nothing special to see apart from the view to the medieval houses on the right bank and of course the impressive commercial harbour and shipping on the Schelde. From the square where the tram and pedestrian tunnel cross under the river, You can observe the ancient town on the right bank. From left to right: The Saint Jacob's church, where the painter Peter Paul Rubes lies entombed, the old castle Steen (or stone in English); right behind the Steen the Vleeshuis (House of Flesh); then follows the quay with the local harbor cruise vessels (Flandria), and the spire of the Cathedral. More to the right (but not on these pictures) stands the Boerentoren (large office buidling).
From the left bank You cross to the right bank using the tramway or on foot by the pedestrian tunnel under the Schelde. This tunnel is very old with antique wooden staircases. This is a 10 min walk.
This travelogue starts at the Astrid Place with the Central Station.
Over the main entrance is a sign giving is correct name: the "Middle Station". The grand hall is impressive.
From Central Station You can walk over the main commercial street, called the Meir with buildings dating from 1880-1920. On the way, you encounter the house where Peter Paul Rubens lived and worked.
Just around the corner is a small square, called "Wapper", where You can visit a museum dedicated to Rubens. Farther on on this square is the market where on Saturdays groceries and food stuff is sold, and also small animals, and on Sundays clothing and small objects. We call this the "Vogeltjesmarkt" (Bird market). It is visited by hundreds of Dutch people, going to Antwerp for "a day on the town".
At the end of the Meir lies the Boerentoren (Tower of the Farmers), now an office building.
Behind the Boerentoren is de Groenplaats (Green Square), where the monument to Rubens stands on a large square.
On this square is also the magnificent Hilton Hotel and the backside of the cathedral. This square is much frequented by sun worshippers, and people looking for a place in one of the many local cafes.
After the Groenplaats, You enter the old town with many small squares, many restaurants and cafes (resembling the Quartier Latin in Paris). This also leads to the Grand Place of Antwerp with the Town Hall and the Brabo monument.
From the Grand Place it is a 3 minute walk to the river Schelde, with its terraces overlooking the river and the old town.
Noteworthy are the old castle Steen (once a maritime museum, now closed indefinitely), the "Vleeshuis, the old guild offices of the medieval butchers (now an impressive medieval weapons museum).
The Carolus Borromeus church (http://www.sacred-destinations.com/belgium/antwerp-st-carolus-borromeus-church.htm) lies next to a beautiful little square surrounded with more restaurants and cafes.
This concludes the first Antwerp travelogue. This walk can be done in one day.
When I find time, I will continue posting pictures of other districts of Antwerp.
At the moment, I live in a small town about 15 min car ride to the west of Antwerp, Belgium. I have always lived and worked in the vicinity of Antwerp. When we go shopping to "the big town" we go to Antwerp; when the children want to visit the Zoo, we go to central Antwerp. On the other hand, practically no pictures of Antwerp seem to be hosted on the 'net. That's why I am making a sort of "local travelogue" detailing the beauty of old Antwerp and its inhabitants.
If You are interested, You can find my first collection of 74 pictures at the following link: http://hdemey.zenfolio.com/p835543619
Antwerp, including neighbouring communities, is a town of about 600.000 inhabitants in the north of Belgium (Flemish part, speaking Flemish or Dutch), on both sides of the river Schelde. The left bank is a small sleeping community of recent development; there is nothing special to see apart from the view to the medieval houses on the right bank and of course the impressive commercial harbour and shipping on the Schelde. From the square where the tram and pedestrian tunnel cross under the river, You can observe the ancient town on the right bank. From left to right: The Saint Jacob's church, where the painter Peter Paul Rubes lies entombed, the old castle Steen (or stone in English); right behind the Steen the Vleeshuis (House of Flesh); then follows the quay with the local harbor cruise vessels (Flandria), and the spire of the Cathedral. More to the right (but not on these pictures) stands the Boerentoren (large office buidling).
From the left bank You cross to the right bank using the tramway or on foot by the pedestrian tunnel under the Schelde. This tunnel is very old with antique wooden staircases. This is a 10 min walk.
This travelogue starts at the Astrid Place with the Central Station.
Over the main entrance is a sign giving is correct name: the "Middle Station". The grand hall is impressive.
From Central Station You can walk over the main commercial street, called the Meir with buildings dating from 1880-1920. On the way, you encounter the house where Peter Paul Rubens lived and worked.
Just around the corner is a small square, called "Wapper", where You can visit a museum dedicated to Rubens. Farther on on this square is the market where on Saturdays groceries and food stuff is sold, and also small animals, and on Sundays clothing and small objects. We call this the "Vogeltjesmarkt" (Bird market). It is visited by hundreds of Dutch people, going to Antwerp for "a day on the town".
At the end of the Meir lies the Boerentoren (Tower of the Farmers), now an office building.
Behind the Boerentoren is de Groenplaats (Green Square), where the monument to Rubens stands on a large square.
On this square is also the magnificent Hilton Hotel and the backside of the cathedral. This square is much frequented by sun worshippers, and people looking for a place in one of the many local cafes.
After the Groenplaats, You enter the old town with many small squares, many restaurants and cafes (resembling the Quartier Latin in Paris). This also leads to the Grand Place of Antwerp with the Town Hall and the Brabo monument.
From the Grand Place it is a 3 minute walk to the river Schelde, with its terraces overlooking the river and the old town.
Noteworthy are the old castle Steen (once a maritime museum, now closed indefinitely), the "Vleeshuis, the old guild offices of the medieval butchers (now an impressive medieval weapons museum).
The Carolus Borromeus church (http://www.sacred-destinations.com/belgium/antwerp-st-carolus-borromeus-church.htm) lies next to a beautiful little square surrounded with more restaurants and cafes.
This concludes the first Antwerp travelogue. This walk can be done in one day.
When I find time, I will continue posting pictures of other districts of Antwerp.
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After the exhibition was dismantled, the elephants were bought by the Antwerp Zoo, and temporarely re-exhibited at the entrance of the Zoo, in Central Antwerp (Astridplein).
Now they have been taken down. It is believed that they will re-appear "real soon now" in Planckendael, a large open-air dependency of the Zoo in Mechelen (30 km south of Antwerp) http://www.planckendael.be/content/park/fs_park.asp?Ct=park&ID=1
Hahaha. That was funny...
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http://hdemey.zenfolio.com/p835543619/
Anyway, I love the photo of the central station. Antwerp must have one of the most beautiful stations in the world. I visited it a couple of years ago but would love to see it again now that the expansion is complete.
I also loved the character of the city and the architecture. The Tunnel you showed pictures of is cool, and is also unique. I can only think of a couple more of these around the world, and that's in the UK (Two in London and one in the north somewhere) A similar one in Hamburg, though that also takes cars down an elevator.
The only thing I didn't like about Antwerp was the river. Sadly, as this is such a water based city, the river I thought was left in terrible neglect. I remember a rusty car park and a view across to the otherside which was pretty undeveloped. Oh well, no place perfect. If Antwerp one days sorts this out, it would be a perfect place.
However, Antwerp is undertaking an immense renovation and expansion project in the North, where the old shipping docks used to be. They are trying to copy the success story of London and its dockyard area. Around the oldest docks, they are creating new living quarters and restaurant/cafe areas. A once desolate area is again coming to life and quite agreeable for "a day on the town". There are also plans to create a new bridge over the Schelde. If all the plans will be developed, it will be something special.
Even the left bank will be renovated with the creation of a large green area, perhaps like the Bois de Boulogne in Paris.
Big plans, but let's wait and see when and how it will evolve.
But thanks for the info, and I hope to see these changes when I next visit the city.
By the way, great food in Belgium.
nice shots but to me (beaten down by cold and drab wheather) the best way to enjoy belgium is in front of a pub with a cold belgium beer in summer
maybe i can find some time this year
It seems that Holland has discovered Antwerp: on weekends the streets and terraces are overflowing with them. Or is it the quality of our beer that is luring them [like Winnie the Pooh to a pot of honey:D]
I am actually there quite a bit for work, but rarely have time visit the city
Great shots
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