T
HERE are many prosaic stories
of how Antwerp got its name
but we like the one with
the Roman soldier the giant
and the hand.
Antwerp sits by the River
Scheldt. This is Belgiumâs big city with over
five lakh residents keeper of buildings from
the Golden Age in the 16th century and home
to the 17th-century Baroque painter Rubens.
For a visitor Antwerp lies around the
Meir â the main shopping area. Retail
therapy begins at the statue of Anthony van
Dyck a Flemish Baroque artist considered
as talented as Rubens but who went off
to England to paint royalty to what might
now be considered great Photoshopped
effect. The entire street turns pedestrian-
only by 11am trams run beneath and above
ground money is spent in frenzied abandon.
Begin with the
Stadsfeestzaal
if only because it was
the party hall to be
seen at in the 20th
century and venue
of the mayorâs ball.
In 2000 a fire destroyed
a major part of the
building. Once it was
restored it became the
shopping paradise it is today with
innumerable pop-up stores and boutiques.
Walk through Stadsfeestzaal to Hopland
the street parallel to the Meir where
high-end fashion (think Emporio Armani)
lives and on to Schuttershof where you
will find exclusive French and Italian
designerware and incongruously
on Sunday mornings a big street market.
Onward from fashion to art â to be found
within Rubenshuis (Rubensâs house)
dating back to the 17th century
Antwerp
a combination of Baroque and Italian
Renaissance architecture because Rubens
had lived in and was heavily influenced
by Italy. His residence includes family rooms
an art room and a typical Renaissance garden
in four quarters. His atelier offers a chance
to see the changing influences in his work.
An unfinished painting shows how Rubens
worked â first making a smaller painting
then negotiating a contract with the client
detailing how much of the work he would
do and how much his apprentice would add.
Paintings by other artists reveal how Rubens
enjoyed all art; the roster includes
a self-portrait by Anthony van Dyck.
And then on to the Palace on the Meir
built in the Rococo style where once
Emperor Napoleon lived and which now
houses another branch of The Chocolate Line
with a show kitchen and all the chocolate
beautifully arrayed against the rich walls
under high ceilings.
Step back out onto the Meir and walk
towards the Art Deco skyscraper that
sticks out like a sore thumb; it was the first
in Europe to be built on a steel frame
and the locals continue to hate
it because it hides the tower of
the cathedral. Look for the 17th-
century statues of the Virgin Mary
on the homes usually lit by lamps- the homeowners paid no taxes
because they were providing
a public service by lighting
the streets at night.
Walk on to the square of the
cathedral to see the town hall
and the fountain with the statue
of Silvius Brabo a mythical
Roman soldier who defeated a giant
who was tormenting the locals
triumphantly holding up the hand
of said giant. The name âAntwerpâ
EASY EUROPE FLANDERS
Antwerp is the worldâs number one diamond trading
centre and people in the shiny know are fond
of pointing out that every diamond sold anywhere
in the world has probably passed through the city
at least once. Eighty-seven per cent of all rough
diamonds globally and 50 per cent of all polished
diamonds are bought and sold in Antwerp. The heart
of the trade lies in the Diamond District which
visitors can tour with a city guide (00-32-3-203-
0103; [email protected]; book at least
three weeks in advance; ` 5745/ two hours).
The Diamondland showroom is where you can watch
a diamond polisher at work on a free guided tour
(00-32-3-369- 0780; http://www.diamondland.be;
33A Appelmansstraat; Mon â Sat).Dazzling Antwerp
20 th century
The First Second and Third
Battles of Ypres ravage the
western front from 1914 onward
grinding to a halt in 19171930
Flanders and Wallonia become
legitimate unilingual regions
administrative regions:
Flanders Wallonia and Brussels1993
The Belgian Constitution
is changed to divide
the country into three(continued...)PHOTOGRAPHS: © HANS DELNOIJ/ ALAMY STOCK PHOTO FACING PAGE: GETTY IMAGES (145)
© PETER HORREE/ ALAMY STOCK PHOTO (2) © IMAGEBROKER/ ALAMY STOCK PHOTO (3)82 July 2016