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Antwerp Central Station – Antwerp, Belgium


2009
05.16

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centralstation_sunsetinmycoffee

 

While in Belgium we stayed in a studio which was really close to the Antwerp Central Station. The exterior architecture is exceptional that I couldn’t believe there’s a railway inside. It just suit to be called as the “Cathedral Railway” for its extraordinary beauty and eclecticism.

 

 

 

The original station was built between 1895 and 1905. The terminal is considered as the oldest railway line in Belgium.

 

 

underconstruction__sunsetinmycoffee

 

 

The building has a huge dome and the interior is decorated with different kinds of marbles and stone. The ceilings are covered by huge iron and glass.

 

 

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The station won 4th place as one of the world’s most beautiful station in the American Newspaper ‘Newsweek’

 

Credit: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/

Credit: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/

Incredible structure of the Central Station.

 

Antwerp Zoo Entrance

Antwerp Zoo Entrance

 

Antwerp Diamond Museum

Antwerp Diamond Museum

 

The Central Zoo and the Diamond Museum is close to the Central Station. The area has countless jewelry shops and the place is considered as the financial center of the world’s diamond industry.

 

Chimera

Chimera

 

A chimera sculpture (gargoyles in layman’s terminology) atop the Diamond Museum. The grotesque form was said to scare off evil spirits so they were used for protection.

 

Surrounding Buildings

Surrounding Buildings

 

Taken in late afternoon, storm ahead.

Storm ahead.

 

Taken on a lovely day. Already dark at 4:50pm.

Taken on a lovely day. Already dark at 4:50pm.

 

 

 

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Het Steen, Antwerp


2009
03.20

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Het Steen or The Stone is a medieval castle, built around the year of 1200, the oldest building in Antwerp. What you see today is just a small part of what it used to be. The castle used to control the access to the river Schelde and also served as a prison between 1303 and 1827 and became the museum of archeology in 1890 and in 1952 annex was added to house the National Maritime Museum. You’ll also find a war memorial to the Canadian soldiers in WWII.

 

 

Het Steen or The Stone

Het Steen or The Stone

 

 

Old Vessels

Old Vessels

The Maritime museum also displays several old vessels.

 

The Lange Wapper - Antwerp version of the Boogie man

The Lange Wapper - Antwerp version of the Boogie man

The giant in the entrance to the Steen Castle is Lange Wapper, a Flemish folklore legend. He is a mischievous shape shifter who can change from a small child to a giant. He terrified children, uses tricks to approach women to get their breast milk, and likes to leap at houses at night then peeps into houses to taunt his victim. Folklore has it that he especially dislikes drunkards.

 

 

 

 

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Grote Markt, Antwerp


2009
03.17

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Grote Markt or Great Market Place is a historical place in Antwerp. It is surrounded with Medieval Guild houses, the City Hall, and many restaurants and cafes.

 

brabo-fountain-antwerp

The Brabo Statue

Statue of Brabo work of Jef Lambeaux and background the Antwerp City Hall.

 

Brabo or Silvius Brabo in legend is a mythical Roman soldier who defeated a giant called Antigoon who lived near the river of Scheldt. Antigoon terrorized and took money from the people who pass the river, and when they declined to give, he chopped off their hand and thrown it into the river. Eventually, Brabo killed the giant and left him with the same fate as his victims.

 

 

City Hall of Antwerp, Belgium, can be found on the Western side of Antwerp’s Great Market Square. The architectural style of the building is Renaissance and was built between 1561 and 1565.

 

 

16th Century Guild houses

16th Century Guild houses

  

 16th Century Guild houses

 

cathedral-of-our-lady_brabo

Cathedral of our Lady

 

 From the Market Square you can also view the Cathedral of our Lady.

 

cathedral-of-our-lady-antwerp

Cathedral of our Lady and the Statue of Peter Rubens

 

In the lower left side is the Statue of the great Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens.

 

belgian-beers 

Don’t forget to visit the Cafe’s with the Belgian Beers! :)

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