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Antwerp

Antwerp (/ˈæntwɜːrp/ ; Dutch: Antwerpen [ˈɑntʋɛrpə(n)] ; French: Anvers [ɑ̃vɛʁs] ) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third largest city in Belgium by area at 204.51 km2 (78.96 sq mi) after Tournai and Couvin. With a population of 536,079,[1] it is the most populous municipality in Belgium, and with a metropolitan population of over 1,200,000 people, the country's second-largest metropolitan region after Brussels.[a][3]

This article is about the city. For the province, see Antwerp Province. For other uses, see Antwerp (disambiguation).

Antwerp
Antwerpen (Dutch)
Anvers (French)

204.32 km2 (78.89 sq mi)

8 m (26 ft)

536,079

2,600/km2 (7,000/sq mi)

1,230,000

2000–2660

Flowing through Antwerp is the river Scheldt. Antwerp is linked to the North Sea by the river's Westerschelde estuary. It is about 40 km (25 mi) north of Brussels, and about 15 km (9 mi) south of the Dutch border. The Port of Antwerp is one of the biggest in the world, ranking second in Europe after Rotterdam[4][5] and within the top 20 globally. The city is also known as the hub of the world's diamond trade. In 2020, the Globalization and World Cities Research Network rated Antwerp as a Gamma + (third level/top tier) Global City.[6]


Both economically and culturally, Antwerp is and has long been an important city in the Low Countries, especially before and during the Spanish Fury (1576) and throughout and after the subsequent Dutch Revolt. The Bourse of Antwerp, originally built in 1531 and re-built in 1872, was the world's first purpose-built commodity exchange.[b] In 1920, the city hosted the Summer Olympics.


The inhabitants of Antwerp are nicknamed Sinjoren (Dutch pronunciation: [sɪˈɲoːrə(n)]), after the Spanish honorific señor or French seigneur, "lord", referring to the Spanish noblemen who ruled the city in the 17th century.[9] The city's population is very diverse, including about 180 nationalities; as of 2019, more than 50% of its population had a parent that was not a Belgian citizen at birth.[10] A notable community is the Jewish one, as Antwerp is one of the only two cities in Europe (together with London and its Stamford Hill neighbourhood) that is home to a considerable Haredi population in the 21st century.

Neighborhoods[edit]

In the district of Antwerp[edit]

The historical city of Antwerp consists nowadays of the following neighborhoods. For a few of them, the postal code has become a cultural reference.

designed by Zaha Hadid, is a contemporary landmark that juxtaposes a restored neoclassical building with a futuristic glass-clad extension.

The Port House

The Provincial Government Building, designed by Architects, is a unique triangular-shaped building with a natural stone façade located in the historic city center.

Xaveer De Geyter

a cultural center with a modernist design, features a mix of glass and concrete and is considered an architectural marvel.

De Singel

a Richard Rogers' masterpiece, is a modern building with a prominent dome and makes extensive use of glass and steel.

The Palace of Justice

The , with its distinctive red sandstone façade, is a contemporary building that explores Antwerp's rich maritime history.

MAS Museum

The neighborhood is known for its Art Nouveau architecture, featuring intricate details, colorful mosaics, and stained glass windows.

Zurenborg

is a residential building designed by the Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier in collaboration with the Belgian architect Paul De Meyer in 1926-1927. Maison Guiette is considered an early example of Le Corbusier's work in Europe. It is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and is recognized as an important example of modernist architecture.

Maison Guiette

De , or "The Farmer's Tower", is a historic Art Deco skyscraper that was once the tallest building in Europe.

Boerentoren

The , with its Neo-Classical style, is a historic theater that dates back to the 19th century.

Bourla Theatre

The is a historic library. The library was established in 1481 and is one of the oldest and most extensive heritage libraries in Belgium. It is home to over 1.5 million books, manuscripts, and other documents related to the history and culture of Flanders.

Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library

The , with its Neo-Classical style, houses a vast collection of Flemish art from the 14th to the 20th century.

Royal Museum of Fine Arts

a beautiful Beaux-Arts railway station, is one of the most impressive examples of railway architecture in Europe.

Antwerp Central Station

The Sint-Annatunnel, also known as the Voetgangerstunnel, is a 572-meter-long tunnel. It was opened in 1933 and was designed by engineer Emiel Van Averbeke. The tunnel connects the banks of the Scheldt River, linking the historic city center with the Left Bank neighborhood. It is primarily made of reinforced concrete and features an Art Deco style interior design with ceramic tiles, ornamental lighting fixtures, and decorative panels. One of its unique features is the wooden escalator, which has been in operation since the tunnel's opening. Today, the Voetgangerstunnel is a popular tourist attraction and a key transportation link for commuters and visitors to Antwerp.

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Nieuw Zuid (New South) neighborhood, Located next to the river on the site of abandoned railway tracks, Nieuw Zuid is being designed as a sustainable green neighbourhood. The project, which will not be finished until 2030, includes buildings by acclaimed international architects such as , Stefano Boeri, Peter Zumthor, Shigeru Ban and Kazuyo Sejima.

Max Dudler

Antwerp's architecture is a blend of old and new, with a cultural heritage spanning from the Gothic and Renaissance periods to contemporary designs. In the 16th century, the city was noted for the wealth of its citizens (Antwerpia nummis). The houses of these wealthy merchants and manufacturers have been preserved throughout the city. However, fire has destroyed several old buildings, such as the house of the Hanseatic League on the northern quays, in 1891. During World War II, the city also suffered considerable damage from V-bombs. Here are some of the most notable examples of Antwerp's diverse architecture:


Antwerp is also home to a wealth of historic Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance-style buildings, such as the Antwerp City Hall, the Cathedral of Our Lady, the St. James' Church, the Vleeshuis Museum and the St. Charles Borromeo Church.

with several adjacent parks south of Antwerp. The area is 90 hectares in total. The parks were all built around a castle and were acquired by the municipality of Antwerp in 1910. The parks consist of Den Brandt (21 ha), Vogelenzang (40 ha), and Middelheim Park[38] (24 ha) which is famous for its open-air sculpture museum that features over 400 works of art. The park also hosts a variety of outdoor concerts and festivals throughout the year, making it a popular destination for visitors.

Nachtegalen Park

The Rivierenhof is a large public park located in the district of Deurne. The park covers an area of 130 hectares and features beautiful gardens, lakes, ponds, and walking paths. The Rivierenhof park was originally designed in the 1920s as a recreational park for the working class, and has since become a beloved green space for both locals and tourists.

Park Spoor Noord is a large urban park located in the northern part of Antwerp, Belgium. The park covers an area of approximately 24 hectares and was built on the site of a former railway yard. It is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike and features a wide range of amenities and attractions, including playgrounds, sports fields, a skate park, a petanque court, a community garden, and several restaurants and cafés.

The Stadspark is a public park located in the center of Antwerp. It was designed by the landscape architect Édouard Keilig and opened in 1869. The park covers an area of approximately 14 hectares.

The is another popular destination for visitors, boasting a wide range of exotic plants and flowers from around the world.

Botanic Garden

The Boekenbergpark is a public park located in the district of Deurne. It is notable for its unique outdoor swimming pool, which is filled with filtered rainwater. The park itself covers an area of about 12 hectares and includes walking paths, gardens, and playgrounds. It was designed to be an eco-friendly and sustainable space.

Te Boelaerpark is a public park located in the district of Borgerhout. The park covers an area of 8.2 hectares and is a popular recreational area for locals and visitors alike.

Hobokense Polder, is a nature reserve located in the district of Hoboken. It covers an area of about 170 hectares and consists of meadows, fields, wetlands, and forests. The area was originally used for agricultural purposes, but it was transformed into a nature reserve in the 1990s.

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Antwerp offers a diverse range of parks and recreational areas for locals and tourists to explore. One of the most popular attractions is the Antwerp Zoo. It opened on 21 July 1843, making it one of the oldest and most famous zoos in the world. The zoo covers an area of 10 hectares and is home to more than 5,000 animals from over 950 species. The zoo is located right next to Antwerp Central Station on the Koningin Astridplein. Antwerp Zoo has played its role in preservation and breeding programmes for several endangered species, including the okapi, the Przewalski horse, the Congo peafowl, the bonobo, the golden-headed lion tamarin, the European otter, and the Knysna seahorse. They take part in the European Endangered Species Programme. On 1 January 1983 the entire park (architecture and garden) was listed as a monument. Other well-known parks include:

10th century: fortification of the wharf with a wall and a ditch

12th and 13th century: canals (so called "vlieten" and "ruien") were made

16th century: Spanish fortifications

19th century: double ring of Brialmont forts around the city, dismantling of the Spanish fortifications

20th century: 1960 dismantling of the inner ring of forts, decommissioning of the outer ring of forts

Although Antwerp was formerly a fortified city, hardly anything remains of the former enceinte, only some remains of the city wall can be seen near the Vleeshuis museum at the corner of Bloedberg and Burchtgracht. Steen castle on the Scheldt-quai is the gate wing of the demolished castle of the Dukes of Brabant. It was partly reconstructed in the 19th century.


Antwerp's development as a fortified city is documented between the 10th and the 20th century. The fortifications were developed in different phases:

Transportation[edit]

Rail[edit]

Antwerp is the focus of lines to the north to Essen and the Netherlands, east to Turnhout, south to Mechelen, Brussels and Charleroi, and southwest to Ghent and Ostend. It is served by international and Thalys trains to Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Paris, and national trains to Ghent, Bruges, Ostend, Brussels, Charleroi, Hasselt, Liège, Leuven and Turnhout. Antwerp Central station is an architectural monument in itself, and is mentioned in W G Sebald's novel Austerlitz. Prior to the completion in 2007 of a tunnel that runs northwards under the city centre to emerge at the old Antwerp Dam station, Central was a terminus. Trains from Brussels to the Netherlands had to either reverse at Central or call only at Berchem station, 2 km (1 mi) to the south, and then describe a semicircle to the east, round the Singel. Now, they call at the new lower level of the station before continuing in the same direction.


Antwerp is also home to Antwerpen-Noord, the largest classification yard for freight in Belgium and second largest in Europe. The majority of freight trains in Belgium depart from or arrive here. It has two classification humps and over a hundred tracks.

Local public transport[edit]

The city has a web of tram and bus lines operated by De Lijn and providing access to the city centre, suburbs and the Left Bank. The tram network has 14 lines, of which the underground section is called the "premetro" and includes a tunnel under the river. The Franklin Rooseveltplaats functions as the city's main hub for local and regional bus lines. However, there has been an evolution to end regional lines at transportation hubs more outward of the city center, such as Zuid and Luchtbal.

Politics[edit]

City council[edit]

The current city council was elected in the October 2018 elections.


The current majority consists of N-VA, Vooruit and Open Vld, led by mayor Bart De Wever (N-VA).

. The neoclassical building housing a collection of paintings, sculptures and drawings from the 14th to the 20th centuries. It is one of the primary landmarks of the Zuid district of Antwerp. The majestic building was designed by Jean-Jacques Winders and Frans Van Dijk, built beginning in 1884, opened in 1890, and completed in 1894.

Royal Museum of Fine Arts

is the former home and studio of Peter Paul Rubens in Antwerp. It is now a museum.

Rubenshuis

,[77] preserves the house of the printer Christoffel Plantijn and his successor Jan Moretus. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005.[78]

Plantin-Moretus Museum

with works from the Gothic and Renaissance period in the Netherlands and Belgium, including paintings by Pieter Brueghel the Elder.

Museum Mayer van den Bergh

,[79] the museum holds a permanent collection of contemporary art from Belgian and international artists, an arthouse cinema and an extensive library of books on contemporary art.

Museum of Contemporary Art (M HKA)

whose central focus is Antwerp and its connection to the world.

Museum aan de Stroom

,[80] also known as FOMU, is a museum of photography

Fotomuseum Antwerp

is a fashion museum. Founded on 21 September 2002, the museum collects, conserves, studies and exhibits Belgian fashion.

MoMu ModeMuseum

is a museum about the history of the Red Star Line, which opened on 28 September 2013.

Red Star Line Museum

Port of Nagoya, Japan, 1988

Japan

Port of Antwerp

Antwerp Book Fair

Antwerp Diamond Trade Fair

(AWW)

Antwerp Water Works

Fortifications of Antwerp

List of mayors of Antwerp

List of urban areas in the European Union

Blanchard, Ian. The International Economy in the "Age of the Discoveries," 1470–1570: Antwerp and the English Merchants' World (Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag, 2009). 288 pp. in English

Harreld, Donald J. "Trading Places," Journal of Urban History (2003) 29#6 pp 657–669

Lindemann, Mary. The Merchant Republics: Amsterdam, Antwerp, and Hamburg, 1648–1790 (Cambridge University Press, 2014) 356 pp.

Limberger, Michael. Sixteenth-Century Antwerp and its Rural Surroundings: Social and Economic Changes in the Hinterland of a Commercial Metropolis (ca. 1450–1570) (Turnhout: Brepols Publishers, 2008). 284 pp.  978-2-503-52725-3.

ISBN

(2019). Spearhead (1st ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. pp. 63, 69. ISBN 9780804176729. LCCN 2018039460. OL 27342118M.

Makos, Adam

"Antwerp Belgium"

Stillwell, Richard, ed. Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, 1976:

. The Growth of the Antwerp Market and the European Economy (14th–16th Centuries) (The Hague, 1963)

Van der Wee, Herman

Official website

Tourism Antwerp

Visit Antwerp