Antwerp attractions listed by popularity
This Gothic masterpiece of lacework in stone was built between 1352 and 1521. As one of the prime remainders of Antwerp's golden era, the cathedral continues to dominate the city's skyline.
The city's central square, known as Grote Markt is lined with magnificent historic guild houses. At the center of the square, in front of the 16th-century city hall, is the statue of Brabo, a legendary city hero.
Rightly dubbed the 'Railway Cathedral', Antwerp's monumental Central station was built between 1895 and 1905. Modernized and expanded between 1995 and 2009, it is one of the world's greatest railway stations.
The palatial house where P.P. Rubens, Antwerp's most famous painter lived and worked, is now one of the city's most popular museums.
The Royal Museum of Fine Arts was built at the end of the 19th century in a newly developed neighborhood. The museum's collection features many works from Rubens and other famous Antwerp artists.
In 2005 this fine printing workshop and museum was the first museum added to UNESCO's World Heritage List. The museum was once home to the world's most prolific printing shop.
A fire station in the old port has been transformed into a spectacular modern building. It is home to the headquarters of the city's port authority.
Once a cemetery in the heart of the city, the Groenplaats is now one of Antwerp's most popular squares. It is a perfect place for drinking one of the many local beers.
This late 19th century fountain depicts the legendary hero Silvius Brabo who defeated the giant Antigoon. The statue symbolizes the free waterways, crucial to the city's survival.
The Church of St. Charles Borromeo is located at a small Italianesque square. The ornately decorated church is representative of the Baroque architecture favored by the Jesuits in the 17th century.
St. James's Church, one of Antwerp's largest churches, was built between 1491 and 1656 in late Gothic style. The church is best known as the last resting place of the celebrated local painter Pieter Paul Rubens.
Schelde Vrij (Free Scheldt) is a towering monument created in 1873 to commemorate the settlement of 1863 that abolished the toll levied by the Dutch on ships sailing to Antwerp.
This partly Gothic, partly Baroque church was originally built in 1571 by Dominicans. It is best known for its large collection of Flemish paintings and its unique Calvary Mount.
A favorite among tourists is a walk along the 16th century Vlaeykensgang, one of Antwerp's few remaining historic alleys. The narrow alley's entrances are no wider than a doorway.
The Vleeshuis was built in 1504 for the Butchers' guild. The building - long the tallest secular building in the city - functioned as a meat market until 1810 when the French occupying forces abolished the Butchers' guild.
The Handelsbeurs (Bourse) is a historic stock exchange building that was known as the 'Mother of all Stock Exchanges'. It was originally built in the sixteenth century, but the current structure dates back to the nineteenth century.
Museum Mayer van den Bergh is a museum that showcases the collection of Fritz Mayer van den Bergh, an avid collector and expert connoisseur of Gothic and Renaissance art. The museum's top piece is Bruegel's «Mad Meg».
The Red Star Line Museum narrates the story of the many immigrants who departed here on one of the ocean liners of the Red Star Line, in the hope to start a new life in the New World across the Atlantic Ocean.
Paleis op de Meir is a former royal palace that was originally built in the mid-18th century for a wealthy merchant. Some of its illustrious owners included Napoleon and the Dutch king Willem I.
The Bourla is a picturesque theater building, originally built in 1834 by the French architect Pierre Bourla. Even though the building has been a protected monument since 1938 it was almost demolished during the 1980s.
The Stadsfeestzaal was built in 1908 as the city's Festival Hall. After a fire destroyed the building, it was renovated and converted into an upscale shopping center.
Originally part of the walls encircling the city, this gate was built in honor of the Spanish king Philip IV and is said to be designed by P.P Rubens. The gate moved twice before being installed at its present location.
The old exchange building was originally constructed in the late 15th century as a merchants' house. Here traders gathered until 1531, when the new stock exchange building opened.
This charming small garden close to the city center originated in the early 19th century as a herbal garden. A statue commemorates Peeter van Coudenberghe, a 16th century botanist.
The very first skyscraper in Western Europe, the Boerentoren (Farmers' Tower), was built in Antwerp during the early 1930s. When the Art Deco skyscraper was completed in 1932 it measured 87.5 meters.
Ever since this square was created in the 16th century, auctions of second-hand goods have been held here every Friday. The square is also the site of one of the city's most important museums, Plantin-Moretus.
Sterckshof is a 16th-century castle built by the wealthy financier Gerard Sterck as a country house. Until 2014, the castle was home to the Zilvermuseum, a museum with silver artifacts from the 16th century to the present.
Middelheim is a park at the southeast of Antwerp's city center. The park boasts a large open air sculpture museum created in 1950 for an international exposition. There are now more than 300 sculptures on display.
Leopoldplaats is a square situated near the historic center of Antwerp and named after the first king of Belgium, Leopold I, whose equestrian statue graces the center of the square.
Commissioned by a shipbuilder, this conspicuous Art Nouveau style building nicknamed 't bootje (the little boat) is one of the most interesting Art Nouveau buildings in Antwerp.
Rivierenhof, situated in the district of Deurne, is one of the largest parks in Antwerp. It was created by combining the estates of two historic castles and opened to the public in 1921.
Richard Rogers designed Antwerp's modern palace of Justice, which was built in 2005 to centralize the different law courts spread over the city. Its most eye-catching characteristic are the tall scaled roofs.
Schoonselhof is a beautiful cemetery that resembles a large public park, embellished with monuments and ornate graves. Anyone of note in Antwerp from the 19th century on lies buried here.
Despite being the least known of Antwerp's five so-called monumental churches, the St. Andrew's Church boasts some impressive sights, in particular the large marble altar and sculpted wooden pulpit.
The Felix Pakhuis is an impressive warehouse, built at the end of the 19th century in Antwerp's port area. Today it is the home of the FelixArchief, the central archive of the city.
A tall Chinese Gate - known locally as the Pagodepoort - marks the entrance of Antwerp's small Chinatown. The gate is painted with bright colors and decorated with miniature statues and relief sculptures.
The Vlaamse Opera was built in the early 20th century as a Flemish counterweight to the 19th century 'French' Bourla theater. The Neo-Baroque building was designed by Alexis Van Mechelen, the official city architect.
Antwerp attractions listed alphabetically
The very first skyscraper in Western Europe, the Boerentoren (Farmers' Tower), was built in Antwerp during the early 1930s. When the Art Deco skyscraper was completed in 1932 it measured 87.5 meters.
This charming small garden close to the city center originated in the early 19th century as a herbal garden. A statue commemorates Peeter van Coudenberghe, a 16th century botanist.
The Bourla is a picturesque theater building, originally built in 1834 by the French architect Pierre Bourla. Even though the building has been a protected monument since 1938 it was almost demolished during the 1980s.
This late 19th century fountain depicts the legendary hero Silvius Brabo who defeated the giant Antigoon. The statue symbolizes the free waterways, crucial to the city's survival.
The Vleeshuis was built in 1504 for the Butchers' guild. The building - long the tallest secular building in the city - functioned as a meat market until 1810 when the French occupying forces abolished the Butchers' guild.
This Gothic masterpiece of lacework in stone was built between 1352 and 1521. As one of the prime remainders of Antwerp's golden era, the cathedral continues to dominate the city's skyline.
Rightly dubbed the 'Railway Cathedral', Antwerp's monumental Central station was built between 1895 and 1905. Modernized and expanded between 1995 and 2009, it is one of the world's greatest railway stations.
The Felix Pakhuis is an impressive warehouse, built at the end of the 19th century in Antwerp's port area. Today it is the home of the FelixArchief, the central archive of the city.
Once a cemetery in the heart of the city, the Groenplaats is now one of Antwerp's most popular squares. It is a perfect place for drinking one of the many local beers.
The city's central square, known as Grote Markt is lined with magnificent historic guild houses. At the center of the square, in front of the 16th-century city hall, is the statue of Brabo, a legendary city hero.
The Handelsbeurs (Bourse) is a historic stock exchange building that was known as the 'Mother of all Stock Exchanges'. It was originally built in the sixteenth century, but the current structure dates back to the nineteenth century.
Leopoldplaats is a square situated near the historic center of Antwerp and named after the first king of Belgium, Leopold I, whose equestrian statue graces the center of the square.
Middelheim is a park at the southeast of Antwerp's city center. The park boasts a large open air sculpture museum created in 1950 for an international exposition. There are now more than 300 sculptures on display.
Museum Mayer van den Bergh is a museum that showcases the collection of Fritz Mayer van den Bergh, an avid collector and expert connoisseur of Gothic and Renaissance art. The museum's top piece is Bruegel's «Mad Meg».
Richard Rogers designed Antwerp's modern palace of Justice, which was built in 2005 to centralize the different law courts spread over the city. Its most eye-catching characteristic are the tall scaled roofs.
The old exchange building was originally constructed in the late 15th century as a merchants' house. Here traders gathered until 1531, when the new stock exchange building opened.
A tall Chinese Gate - known locally as the Pagodepoort - marks the entrance of Antwerp's small Chinatown. The gate is painted with bright colors and decorated with miniature statues and relief sculptures.
Paleis op de Meir is a former royal palace that was originally built in the mid-18th century for a wealthy merchant. Some of its illustrious owners included Napoleon and the Dutch king Willem I.
In 2005 this fine printing workshop and museum was the first museum added to UNESCO's World Heritage List. The museum was once home to the world's most prolific printing shop.
A fire station in the old port has been transformed into a spectacular modern building. It is home to the headquarters of the city's port authority.
The Red Star Line Museum narrates the story of the many immigrants who departed here on one of the ocean liners of the Red Star Line, in the hope to start a new life in the New World across the Atlantic Ocean.
Rivierenhof, situated in the district of Deurne, is one of the largest parks in Antwerp. It was created by combining the estates of two historic castles and opened to the public in 1921.
The Royal Museum of Fine Arts was built at the end of the 19th century in a newly developed neighborhood. The museum's collection features many works from Rubens and other famous Antwerp artists.
The palatial house where P.P. Rubens, Antwerp's most famous painter lived and worked, is now one of the city's most popular museums.
Schelde Vrij (Free Scheldt) is a towering monument created in 1873 to commemorate the settlement of 1863 that abolished the toll levied by the Dutch on ships sailing to Antwerp.
Schoonselhof is a beautiful cemetery that resembles a large public park, embellished with monuments and ornate graves. Anyone of note in Antwerp from the 19th century on lies buried here.
Despite being the least known of Antwerp's five so-called monumental churches, the St. Andrew's Church boasts some impressive sights, in particular the large marble altar and sculpted wooden pulpit.
The Church of St. Charles Borromeo is located at a small Italianesque square. The ornately decorated church is representative of the Baroque architecture favored by the Jesuits in the 17th century.
St. James's Church, one of Antwerp's largest churches, was built between 1491 and 1656 in late Gothic style. The church is best known as the last resting place of the celebrated local painter Pieter Paul Rubens.
This partly Gothic, partly Baroque church was originally built in 1571 by Dominicans. It is best known for its large collection of Flemish paintings and its unique Calvary Mount.
The Stadsfeestzaal was built in 1908 as the city's Festival Hall. After a fire destroyed the building, it was renovated and converted into an upscale shopping center.
Sterckshof is a 16th-century castle built by the wealthy financier Gerard Sterck as a country house. Until 2014, the castle was home to the Zilvermuseum, a museum with silver artifacts from the 16th century to the present.
Commissioned by a shipbuilder, this conspicuous Art Nouveau style building nicknamed 't bootje (the little boat) is one of the most interesting Art Nouveau buildings in Antwerp.
The Vlaamse Opera was built in the early 20th century as a Flemish counterweight to the 19th century 'French' Bourla theater. The Neo-Baroque building was designed by Alexis Van Mechelen, the official city architect.
A favorite among tourists is a walk along the 16th century Vlaeykensgang, one of Antwerp's few remaining historic alleys. The narrow alley's entrances are no wider than a doorway.
Ever since this square was created in the 16th century, auctions of second-hand goods have been held here every Friday. The square is also the site of one of the city's most important museums, Plantin-Moretus.
Originally part of the walls encircling the city, this gate was built in honor of the Spanish king Philip IV and is said to be designed by P.P Rubens. The gate moved twice before being installed at its present location.