This morning we woke up in a canal near the center of Antwerp. The skies were grey and an icy wind was blowing.
We had chosen to do the walking tour of the city. Our start point was by the river. It was interesting to note a concrete wall approximately 3 feet high with steel gates that could be slid shut to close the gaps in it. Our guide told us they have to close these gates about 4 times a year to stop the river flooding the city.
Most historical buildings you see have scaffolding somewhere. The remnants of the castle guarding the city’s entrance was an extreme example.
As we walked into the town we could see spots where the old city walls had been incorporated into the buildings that had grown around it.
This building was the Butchers Guild Hall and is known locally as the Bacon Building.
A fair bit of Antwerp was destroyed in the closing days of WWII when the Germans tried to prevent the Allies from using its ports. But a lot of old parts survived. Here are some of the old Guildhalls facing onto the cathedral square. The statue depicts a Roman soldier who legend has it defeated a giant that lived here and thus permitted the city’s foundation. Our hero, here having chopped the giant’s hand off, is tossing it into the river.
And here we are navigating an old medieval street.
The cathedral is home to a number of Rubens paintings and it is a magnet for lots of Japanese tourists. Apparently there is a widely read children’s story book in Japan that tells of a little boy and his dog who lived in a town outside of Antwerp. The boy wanted to see the big Rubens painting in the Cathedral but it was usually kept locked away. It was displayed at Christmas however so he set off with his dog through the snow to see the painting and was so enthralled with it he stayed overnight and froze to death. This sculpture out in the front of the cathedral is a great favourite with the Japanese tourists.
Antwerp is famous for its railway station which is claimed to be in the top three in the world. So we set off on our own to walk to it .
It was a hazardous journey not only due to the freezing cold, wind and a great part of the road being dug up. The biggest hazard was that all the jewellery shops are up this end and Jeanette was in grave danger of emulating the little boy only she would have had her nose frozen to a jewellers shop window.
The station is an amazing building with a very elegant interior .
The area where the actual trains pulled in was over four levels, top one had trains, next one shops and the bottom two levels were also trains.
We then beat a retreat back to the boat to thaw out.
Hardys’ Travels 