Updated: 5 August 2018.
Strategically located on the River Scheldt in the North Sea, Antwerp has long been an important city for the cultural and economic success of Belgium and the neighboring Low Countries. The Port of Antwerp is the second largest in Europe and plays heavily on the character of the City’s most significant architecture. This is most easily seen in the influx of new architecture that features heavily on its skyline.
Check out Antwerp’s #mustseearchitecture below:
Antwerp Port House
Designed by the late architect Zaha Hadid, the Port House repurposes an old derelict fire station into the new Port Authorities headquarters. The design is the successful result of a competition jointly hosted by the Flemish government’s department of architecture and the Antwerp port authorities. The design emerged from a historical analysis of the original fire station and the unrealized intention of a grand tower to become a symbol of the building’s Hanseatic design. Hadid’s vision is meant to draw back to the original design as a crowning volume.
Practical Information
Architect: Zaha Hadid
Built: 2016
Type: Office
Address: Zaha Hadidplein 1, 2030 Antwerpen, Belgium
Open to the Public: No
Website: www.portofantwerp.com/en
Museum Aan De Stroom
Part of the city’s urban renewal of the former port area, The Mas is a 60-meter high tower composed of 10 large stone boxes that tell the story of the city’s history. The design of the museum is based on a large spiral staircase with each floor twisting and turning to tell stories of the past as visitors make their way to an open-air viewing platform at the top.
Practical Information
Architect: Neutelings Riedijk Architects
Built: 2011
Type: Museum
Address: Hanzestedenplaats 1, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Open to the Public: Yes
Cost: € 5.00
Hours: Daily: 10:00am – 5:00pm
Website: www.mas.be/en
Park Tower
Strategically located on the Scheldt River near the historic city center and MAS Museum, this tower by Studio Farris is one of the tallest buildings in Antwerp. The design is characterized by the glass facade panels that shelter the balconies and terraces behind it.
Practical Information
Architect: Studio Farris Architects
Built: 2014
Type: Housing
Address: Ellermanstraat 33, 2060 Antwerpen, Belgium
Open to the Public: No
Grote Markt
The old town square is home to several postcard-worthy buildings including Antwerp City Hall, the Guildhalls, and Brabo Fountain.
Practical Information
Built: 16th Century
Type: Public Square, Guild Halls
Address: Grote Markt, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Style: Gothic, Rennaisance
Open to the Public: Yes
Stadhuis
Standing on the west end of the Grote Markt, the original Stadhuis only lasted a decade until it was burned down by the Spanish in the Sack of Antwerp during the Eighty Years’ War in 1576. It was rebuilt shortly afterward and became an iconic example of renaissance architecture in the Netherlands.
Architect: Cornelis Floris De Vriendt
Built: 1561-1564
Type: City Hall
Address: Grote Markt 1, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Style: Gothic, Rennaisance
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Monday – Friday (8:30am – 5:30pm)
Website: www.antwerpen.be/
Cathedral of Our Lady
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Cathedral of our Lady has not technically been completed. Intended to have two large spires on either side of its entrance, only the one has been completed to date. Standing over 123 meters tall, its the tallest church spire in the Benelux and offers a spectacular view over the Grote Markt and historic city center.
Practical Information
Architect: Pieter Appelmans, Rombout II Keldermans, Jan Appelmans, Jacob van Thienen, Jules Bilmeyer
Built: 1352-1521
Type: Church
Address: Groenplaats 21, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Style: Gothic
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Wednesdays (10:00am – 5:00pm), Saturdays (10:00am – 3:00pm), Sundays (1:00pm – 5:00pm)
Cost: € 6
Website: www.dekathedraal.be/
Boerentoren
Built between 1929 and 1932, the Boerentoren was the tallest building in Europe until the Terrazza Martini Tower opened in Genoa, Italy in 1942. The tower is characterized by its art deco style and remained the tallest tower in Belgium until the 1960’s.
Practical Information
Architect: Jan Van Hoenacker
Built: 1932
Type: Office
Address: Boerentoren, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Open to the Public: Yes
Antwerp Central Station
Widely regarded as one of the finest examples of railway architecture in Belgian, the station’s design is an eclectic combination of architectural styles. Its main features are a large dome over the waiting area by Louis Delacenserie, and a viaduct leading into the station by architect Jan Van Asperen.
Practical Information
Architect: Clément Van Bogaert
Built: 1905
Type: Train Station
Address: Koningin Astridplein 27, 2018 Antwerpen, Belgium
Style: Art Nouveau
Open to the Public: Yes
Vleeshuis
One of the economic centers of Flanders in the Middle Ages, the Vleeshuis was the city’s central meat market and slaughterhouse at the time. The building was actually rebuilt twice with the now gothic structure completed in 1504. Since 2006, the building has housed the city’s museum on sound, music, and dance. Fun fact: the street that slopes away from it used to be called Blood Mountain, for reasons…
Architect: Joseph Delhaye
Built: 1504
Type: Slaughterhouse, museum
Address: Vleeshouwersstraat 38, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Style: Late gothic
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: 10:00am – 5:00pm (Thursdays to Sundays)
Cost: € 5
Website: www.museumvleeshuis.be/nl
Het Steen
Het Steen is not only a fortress but the oldest building in Antwerp as well. It was primarily built after the Viking raids in the early middle ages and was strategically located to control access through the Scheldt River.
Built: 1200
Type: Fortress
Address: Steenplein 1, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Open to the Public: Yes
Cost: Free
Website: www.visitantwerpen.be/en/
We do our best to provide accurate and up-to-date information, locations, and opening hours whenever possible. It is recommended that you double-check any information that you may need to ensure your visit is a success.
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Built: 1200
Type: Fortress
Address: Steenplein 1, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Open to the Public: Yes
Cost: Free
Website: www.visitantwerpen.be/en/
Architect: Joseph Delhaye
Built: 1504
Type: Slaughterhouse, museum
Address: Vleeshouwersstraat 38, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Style: Late gothic
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: 10:00am - 5:00pm (Thursdays to Sundays)
Cost: € 5
Website: www.museumvleeshuis.be/nl
Architect: Clément Van Bogaert
Built: 1905
Type: Train Station
Address: Koningin Astridplein 27, 2018 Antwerpen, Belgium
Style: Art Nouveau
Open to the Public: Yes
Architect: Jan Van Hoenacker
Built: 1932
Type: Office
Address: Boerentoren, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Open to the Public: Yes
Architect: Pieter Appelmans, Rombout II Keldermans, Jan Appelmans, Jacob van Thienen, Jules Bilmeyer
Built: 1352-1521
Type: Church
Address: Groenplaats 21, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Style: Gothic
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Wednesdays (10:00am - 5:00pm), Saturdays (10:00am - 3:00pm), Sundays (1:00pm - 5:00pm)
Cost: € 6
Website: www.dekathedraal.be/
Architect: Cornelis Floris De Vriendt
Built: 1561-1564
Type: City Hall
Address: Grote Markt 1, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Style: Gothic, Rennaisance
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Monday - Friday (8:30am - 5:30pm)
Website: www.antwerpen.be/
Built: 16th Century
Type: Public Square, Guild Halls
Address: Grote Markt, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Style: Gothic, Rennaisance
Open to the Public: Yes
Architect: Studio Farris Architects
Built: 2014
Type: Housing
Address: Ellermanstraat 33, 2060 Antwerpen, Belgium
Open to the Public: No
Architect: Neutelings Riedijk Architects
Built: 2011
Type: Museum
Address: Hanzestedenplaats 1, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Open to the Public: Yes
Cost: € 5.00
Hours: Daily: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Website: www.mas.be/en
Architect: Zaha Hadid
Built: 2016
Type: Office
Address: Zaha Hadidplein 1, 2030 Antwerpen, Belgium
Open to the Public: No
Website: www.portofantwerp.com/en
