The residents of Antwerp are extremely proud of their city, having gone through a miraculous transformation from severe bombing during World War II to being one of the most modern cities on the European fashion and cultural landscape.
The city experienced a hay-day of sorts in the 16th and 17th centuries when it was the main trading centre for the diamond industry, bringing tremendous wealth into the port city. This was also a time of great cultural significance as architecture began to reflect the emerging prosperity and artists started to flourish, particularly Rubens and Van Dyck. These artists lived and worked in The Rubenshaus, a building that survives today as a very popular tourist attraction with its perfectly preserved studios and apartments dating from the 17th century.
The old city is centred round the Grote Market area with its gabled houses and the Onze Lieve Vrouwekathedraal, a 14th century building and home to four of Rubens paintings along with an incredible statue of the Virgin Mary.
Surrounding the main square is an intricate maze of narrow streets; an area well worth discovering for its beautiful little houses, shops and cafés. The Scheldt River and old harbour lie to the west. The old harbour dates back to the days of Napoleon and today it is a fashionable area with loft apartments and smart restaurants.
As you'd expect from a city with such rich cultural heritage, Antwerp has many extraordinary museums and galleries, with the Museum of Fine Arts being the most important among them. The new MoMu fashion museum is also of significance and provides a fitting tribute to Antwerp's prominence as a centre for design; particularly with regard to the period in the early 80s when the Antwerp fashion scene really started to get going. Worth seeing also is Antwerp's main station, a monument to the history of rail travel. In the direction of Berchem you can find the art nouveau district, well known for its striking, bold architecture.
If you're there in the summer, try to see the Zomer van Antwerpen, an arts festival in June, July and August that brings the streets to life with circus acts and street entertainment. There's also the Cutty Sark ships race when the river is lined with amazing looking tall-masted sailing boats.
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