How many stops are on the History walking tour in Antwerp?

The History route in Antwerp includes 8 curated stops.

How long does the History tour in Antwerp take?

The History walking tour in Antwerp takes approximately 4 hours at a leisurely pace.

Is the History walking tour in Antwerp free?

Yes, Promenario's History tour in Antwerp is free to download and use, with full offline support.

🇧🇪 Antwerp, Belgium

History in Antwerp

Historic districts, heritage sites, and origin stories. Explore 8 curated stops in Antwerp, including Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerpen-Centraal, and Grote Markt. Highlights include Antwerpen-Centraal, rated 4.8/5 by 31,000 visitors.

8 stops ~4h Available in app

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8 places in this collection

History places

8 places in this collection

Image by Sergey Ashmarin, CC BY-SA 3.0

Cathedral of Our Lady

Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal

The Cathedral of Our Lady is a Roman Catholic cathedral. Today's see of the Diocese of Antwerp started in 1352 and, although the first stage of construction was ended in 1521, has never been 'completed'. In Gothic style, its architects were Jan and Pieter Appelmans. It contains a number of significant works by the Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens, as well as paintings by artists such as Otto van Veen, Jacob de Backer and Marten de Vos. The belfry of the cathedral is included in the Belfries of Belgium and France entry in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The church's one finished spire is 123 metres (404 ft) high,[3] the highest church tower in the Benelux. Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor commented that the spire should be kept under glass, and Napoleon compared the spire to Mechlin lace. The largest bell in the tower requires 16 bell ringers. The west portal features statues which include the missionary Saint Willibrord. He is thought to have spent time in Antwerp in the 7th century. The cathedral possesses some major works of art : -The Raising of the Cross – Peter Paul Rubens -Assumption of the Virgin Mary – Peter Paul Rubens -The Descent from the Cross – Peter Paul Rubens Two of these artworks were confiscated by Napoleon and moved to France, The Raising of the Cross (which was actually the main altar piece of the St Walburga church) and The Descent from the Cross, but were returned to the cathedral in the 19th century

Image by Paul Hermans, CC BY-SA 3.0

Antwerpen-Centraal

The original station building was constructed between 1895 and 1905 as a replacement for the original terminus of the Brussels-Mechelen-Antwerp Railway. The stone clad terminus buildings, with a vast dome above the waiting room hall, were designed by Louis Delacenserie. The viaduct into the station is also a notable structure designed by local architect Jan Van Asperen. A plaque on the north wall bears the name Middenstatie. In 2009, the American magazine Newsweek judged Antwerpen-Centraal the world's fourth greatest train station. In 2014, the British-American magazine Mashable awarded Antwerpen-Centraal the first place for the most beautiful railway station in the world. Antwerp Central is one of the few railway stations in Europe with its own IATA code (IATA: ZWE). Many airlines therefore can offer integrated tickets directly to Antwerp.

Image by Marek Slusarczyk, CC BY 3.0

Grote Markt

The Grote Markt (Great Market Square') of Antwerp is a town square situated in the heart of the old city quarter. It is filled with an extravagant city hall, numerous elaborate 16th century guildhalls, many restaurants and cafés. Lying within walking distance of the Scheldt river, it hosts a Christmas market and ice rink in Winter. Key attractions include: - Antwerp City Hall, built on the foundation of a precursor - Guildhalls Sint-Joris at Grote Markt 7 and de Valk at Grote Markt 11 - Brabo Fountain, created by Jef Lambeaux, about a city legend - Tourist Office- Antwerp Jazz Club (AJC)

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Plantin-Moretus Museum

The Plantin-Moretus Museum is a printing museum in Antwerp that focuses on the work of the 16th-century printers Christophe Plantin and Jan Moretus. Located in their former residence and printing establishment, the Plantin Press, at the Vrijdagmarkt in Antwerp, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005. The Plantin-Moretus Museum possesses an exceptional collection of typographical material. Not only does it house the two oldest surviving printing presses in the world and complete sets of dies and matrices, it also has an extensive library, a richly decorated interior and the entire archives of the Plantin business, which were inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme Register in 2001 in recognition of their historical significance.

Image by Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas

Het Steen

Het Steen is a medieval fortress in the old city centre of Antwerp, Belgium, one of Europe's biggest ports. Built after the Viking incursions in the early Middle Ages as the first stone fortress of Antwerp, Het Steen is Antwerp's oldest building and used to be its oldest urban centre. Previously known as Antwerpen Burcht (fortress), Het Steen gained its current name in around 1520, after significant rebuilding under Charles V. The rebuilding led to its being known first as 's Heeren Steen' (the King's stone castle), and later simply as 'Het Steen' (the stone castle). At the entrance to Het Steen is a bas-relief of Semini, above the archway, around 2nd century. Semini is the Scandinavian God of youth and fertility (with symbolic phallus). A historical plaque near Het Steen explains that women of the town appealed to Semini when they desired children; the god was reviled by later religious clergy. Inhabitants of Antwerp previously referred to themselves as 'children of Semini'. At the entrance bridge to the castle is a statue of a giant and two humans. It depicts the giant Lange Wapper who used to terrorise the inhabitants of the city in medieval times.

Image by G.Lanting, CC BY-SA 4.0

Meir

Meir is the main shopping street in Antwerp, Belgium. It is the most important shopping area in the country, both by number of shoppers and by rent prices. The street has been mostly pedestrianised since 1993. Between 2002 and 2004, it was the most expensive shopping street in the Benelux. Since the opening of the historic Stadsfeestzaal shopping centre in 2007, Meir regained that position. It has the highest rents of any street in Belgium, at 1,700 €/square metre/year. The name comes from the old Dutch word 'meere' (lake). Meir used to be a so-called 'wood lake' (houtmeer), where wood destined for use in furniture would be kept wet for a time.

Image by Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0

St. Paul's Church

The St. Paul's Church or Sint-Pauluskerk (in Dutch) is a Roman Catholic church located at the Veemarkt in Antwerp. Its exterior is mainly Gothic with a Baroque tower, while the interior is characterized by its rich Baroque decoration. The exterior is mainly executed in the Brabantine Gothic style and is characterized by the austere architecture with little exterior decoration, which is common in churches of mendicant orders. For the interior walls, brick was used, while the outer vestments and structural components are in Ledian sandstone. The tower was rebuilt in the late 17th century with a Baroque top. The Baroque portal on the angled corner of Veemarkt and Zwartzustersstraat dates from 1734. In the arch above the gate is a tympanum sculpture by Jan Claudius de Cock of 1734 depicting Our Lady of the Rosary giving the rosary to Saint Dominic and Catherine of Siena, the reformer of the Dominican Order. The interior columns in St. Paul's Church are cylindrical and are topped by a capital with cabbage leaf motif. The interior decoration is a good example of the Flemish Baroque style in painting as well as church furniture.

Image by Fred Romero from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0

Vlaeykensgang

The hidden street Vlaeykensgang connects Hoogstraat, Oude Koornmarkt, and Pelgrimsstraat. It is a real street, but only accessible through unassuming medieval front doors in the streets. Originally, it was the medieval equivalent of a gated community. Today, it houses informal restaurants and chic, discrete flats. The easiest entrance is through a porch on Hoogstraat.

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