ANTWERPEN, België

Ciao! I absolutely loved Antwerp, Belgium. It had a much quainter feel than most of the cities I have visited although it does not seem so from many of my pictures!

CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY

This church was begun in the 14th century and finished in 1518. The church has four works by Rubens; "The Descent from the Cross", "The Elevation of the Cross", "The Resurrection of Christ" and "The Assumption"

BRABO & THE ANTIGOON

The legend behind this statue involves a mythical giant called Antigoon who lived near the Scheldt River. He exacted a toll from those crossing the river, and for those who refused, he severed one of their hands and threw it into the Scheldt River. Eventually, the giant was slain by a young hero named Brabo, who cut off the giant's own hand and flung it into the river. Hence the name Antwerpen, from Dutch hand werpen—akin to Old English hand and wearpan (to throw), that has changed to today's warp. Interesting, huh?

BELGIAN CHOCOLATE

When it comes to chocolates, there are the everyday candy bars we consume every day, the more exotic Godiva or Ghirardelli-style chocolates found in coffee houses and specialty stores, and then there is Belgian chocolate. Belgian chocolate is considered to be the gourmet standard by which all other chocolate confections are measured. Molto delicioso!

HET STEEN CASTLE

Het Steen is a historic medieval castle built from 1200 - 1225, Het Steen is Antwerp's oldest building. Previously known as Antwerp Castle, Het Steen gained its current name around 1520, after significant rebuilding under Charles V. The rebuilding led to it being known first as "'s Heeren Steen" (the King's Stone), and later simply as "Het Steen" (The Stone).

The castle made it possible to control the access to the Schelde, the river that flows through Antwerp. It was also used as a prison between 1303 and 1827. Captivity itself was not punishment - the prison was where you awaited your sentence. Very popular punishment available was; chopping of hands, heads and/or burning and quartering (ew!). Supposedly the prison’s regime was not a very honest one.

MODERN SCULPTURE OF A SOLDIER

INTERIOR OF ST. JAMES
St. James contains the tomb of Peter Paul Rubens.

Sir Peter Paul Rubens was a prolific seventeenth-century Flemish Baroque painter, and a proponent of an extravagant Baroque style that emphasized movement, color, and sensuality. He is well-known for his Counter-Reformation altarpieces, portraits, landscapes, and history paintings of mythological and allegorical subjects.

PETER PAUL RUBENS EXHIBIT

In addition to running a large studio in Antwerp which produced paintings popular with nobility and art collectors throughout Europe, Rubens was a classically-educated humanist scholar, art collector, and diplomat who was knighted by both Philip IV, King of Spain, and Charles I, King of England.

THE "HAND" OF ANTWERP

GORGEOUS ARCHITECTURE & MOSAICS

GRAND CENTRAL STATION

Central Station is a railway station designed by Louis Delacenserie that was completed in 1905. It has two monumental neo-baroque facades, a large metal and glass dome (60m/197 ft) and a gilt and marble interior. Ciao Ciao!!