We start our day on the Gland Place (Grote Markt). It’s in the heart of old town. Here you can find the town hall, guild houses and Brabo Fountain in the middle. According to the legend there was a giant in the city, that used to cut hands of sailors and throw it into the river Scheldt if they refused to pay a troll. But once upon the time, Silvus Brabo killed this giant and threw his hand into the river.
Brabo gave the city its eventual name – “handwerpen” (throwing a hand).
The symbol of the hand can be found all over the city.
And of cause waffles you can find everywhere! Let’s eat some Belgian traditional waffles for brunch 🙂
Just stroll around the city to burn the waffles’ calories 🙂 Look at this thin houses, they probably don’t eat waffles every day 🙂
You can’t miss the Cathedral of Our Lady if you are visiting Antwerp! Its the largest Gothic building in the Dutch-speaking world. The Cathedral is iconic treasury with an impressive collection of major art works.
There is a very unique statue of a boy and his dog in front of the cathedral.
Nello and Patrasche are the main characters in the 1872 novel A Dog of Flanders. It’s a tale of an unconditional friendship. Nello is poor orphan boy, becomes friends with Patrasche, an abandoned dog. They walk to town together every day. They visit the cathedral together, where Nello admires the paintings by Rubens. They die together from hardship.
You can find Ruben’s painting all over the place! Rubens lived in Antwerp, so here you can find his house from when he was 10! It’s a museum now, from 1946.
Ten rooms are furnished in style of that period and contain original paintings by Rubens and his pupils. Get the real feel how the master lived and enjoy Flemish painters.
The house offer a wonderful intimate look at Ruben’s works.
Charming, so charming garden, worth to visit!
A must see place in Antwerp is Antwerp’s central station. It’s considered one of the most beautiful in the world!
It’s really amazing, that such wonderful building is using like an ordinary central station :)! The architecture is so wonderful.
I’ve read somewhere, that diamond dealers came here from all over the wold to trade, even not leaving the station building. Though, for these diamond dudes the station was buit so gorgeous 😉
Antwerp is called the city of diamonds. Diamond here are traded from the 15th century!
Next to the station is diamond district. Can you imagine, that about 80% of the World’s diamond pass through Antwerp.
Head towards the city center from the central station and you will find Meier Street.
It’s the main shopping street! By the way Antwerp is also called the city of fashion, so you can find fashion Academy and fashion museum in Antwerp 🙂
Find the river Sheldt and the medieval fortress Het Steen. That’s the first building from a stone in Antwerp, dating from the 13th century.
Het Steen was used as a prison until 1823 and opened as a museum in 1862.
One more place for museum and art lovers is MAAS.
A giant Lego brick like modern building is the MAAS. It’s located in the harbor.
It’s also a perfect place to admire urban vistas and it’s free to enter so called “panorama” for everyone!
The rooftop afford a full 360 degree excellent view of the city and the port! That’s all for today 🙂
Tomorrow will be new day and new emotions:)
See you tomorrow 🙂
The journey to be continued…
Don’t sit at home. Travel! Travel with me! 🙂 Meaww!
Next day…Day 2. Bruges.
Previous day…Belgium
go and travel with me 