Antwerp sights: What you shouldn’t miss

Antwerp is a city that effortlessly masters the balancing act between historical charm and modern coolness. Anyone strolling through the winding streets will discover a new piece of history, imposing architecture, and an incredibly vibrant cultural scene on almost every corner.

Whether you want to admire majestic guild halls, let your soul dangle in hidden oases, or view the city from above – Antwerp surprises again and again. We have put together our absolute highlights and a few real insider tips.

The MAS: Antwerp’s Landmark on the Water

The Museum aan de Stroom, MAS for short, is a museum and a free viewpoint over the city.

The Museum aan de Stroom (MAS) in Antwerpen is a towering, modern building made of red sandstone and curved glass panels, situated along a waterfront under a cloudy sky. The unique architecture features stacked, offset blocks that create a spiral of glass galleries overlooking the surrounding city and harbor.

In the Eilandje district stands an impressive tower made of reddish Indian sandstone and giant, corrugated glass panels: the MAS. The architects have created a building that is reminiscent of stacked containers. A special detail are the 3,000 small aluminum hands that adorn the facade. Admittedly, I only noticed these at second glance. I thought these elements were decorations and didn’t really pay attention to them.

A view from inside the MAS museum in Antwerp through its iconic wavy glass walls, looking out over the city's harbor and skyline under a bright blue sky.

Inside, a freely accessible area winds its way spirally upwards via escalators. Behind the meter-high glass panels, a new view of the city, the port, and the river Scheldt opens up with every floor. Unfortunately, the 360-degree panoramic roof terrace on the tenth floor can only be reached by a staircase from the 9th floor. But it ultimately offers an incomparable all-round view over Antwerp. And all that for free! For everyone who, like us, initially stood clueless in front of the ticket counters in the entrance area – just walk past and head up! You really can reach the observation deck without a ticket!

A high-angle, wide-angle view of the city of Antwerp taken from the MAS museum, showing a harbor with boats in the foreground and a dense cityscape stretching toward the horizon under a bright, cloudy sky.

A panoramic view from the MAS museum in Antwerp shows the Schelde river winding through the city's industrial landscape, with port cranes, modern buildings, and wind turbines under a vast, cloud-streaked blue sky.

The heart of the MAS is a diverse collection and exhibitions. On around 5,700 square meters of exhibition space, over 600,000 objects from the former collections of the Ethnographic Museum, the National Maritime Museum, and the Folklore Museum are shown. You can visit these areas for a fee.

People stand on the open-air rooftop observation deck of the MAS museum in Antwerp, looking out over the city through glass safety barriers under a bright blue sky.

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. The panoramic terrace can be visited from 9:30 am to 10 pm. The museum is generally closed on Mondays.

Our tip: The café on the ground floor not only has a beautiful outdoor terrace, the cake simply tastes great.

A slice of blueberry cheesecake and pieces of pound cake are served with coffee on a wooden table at the MAS in Antwerp.

Felix Pakhuis

Not far from the MAS, we step through a rather inconspicuous door into an almost hidden highlight of the area. Not many visitors discover the entrance, and it isn’t really signposted either.

Here stands a colossus of stone and brick, the St. Felix warehouse, today known as Felix Pakhuis. The history of the warehouse begins in the mid-19th century. During this time, the port of Antwerp was booming. To be able to store the enormous quantities of goods such as coffee, grain, cheese, and tobacco that arrived in the city, a new, large warehouse was needed. According to the plans of the city architect Felix Pauwels, the warehouse was built in 1860.

A low-angle view of the Antwerpen Passage quer shows a narrow, white-walled alleyway lined with historic multi-story buildings and covered by a vaulted glass ceiling. Industrial features like black loading platforms and a large mechanical pulley system are mounted to the walls, leading toward a distant arched exit.

A building of massive brickwork and bluestone was created. The thick walls ensured a constant indoor climate, ideal for storing sensitive goods. The most striking feature is the covered alley. This was originally intended to allow horse-drawn carts to load and unload in the dry. The two wings of the building are connected by a monumental arch construction.

The interior consisted of huge, open storage floors, supported by countless cast-iron columns – a modern technique at the time that allowed maximum flexibility.
The sheer size of the building was revolutionary for its time. The warehouse was designed as a highly modern logistics center. But just one year after its completion, disaster struck: in 1861, a devastating fire destroyed large parts of the north wing. Reconstruction took place quickly, and the warehouse resumed its role in port operations.

With the change in logistics and the relocation of the port further north, the Pakhuis lost its importance in the 20th century and eventually stood empty for a long time. At the beginning of the 21st century, the city decided on a comprehensive restoration.

A close-up shot of a historic pulley system in the Vlaeykensgang passage in Antwerp, featuring weathered metal wheels and heavy, rusted chains against a white brick wall.

Most of the building today houses the Antwerp City Archives. Where coffee and tobacco were once stored, the written and digital memory of the city is now kept on 36 kilometers of shelves. The thick, stable walls of the old warehouse offer the perfect climatic conditions for the preservation of the valuable historical documents. The second wing now houses restaurants and event rooms.

The Dragon Gate to Antwerp: A Piece of Shanghai on the Scheldt

From Antwerp’s main train station, it’s not far to Shanghai – well, or rather Little China. As we stroll through Van Wesenbekestraat, we feel transported to another world. Colors, smells, and characters from a Far Eastern culture. And finally, a building that sits like a guardian at the entrance to the neighborhood: the Chinese Gate.

The Antwerpen Chinesisches Tor, a grand traditional Chinese gate with intricate golden and blue details, stands prominently over a city street flanked by modern buildings like Chocolate Nation.

The creation of the gate is closely linked to the town twinning between Antwerp and the Chinese port metropolis of Shanghai, which has existed since 1984. To honor this connection and set a visible monument for the growing and well-integrated Chinese community in Antwerp, the idea of a traditional gate was born. After years of planning and preparation, the gate was finally inaugurated in 2010.

What makes the Antwerp Paifang so special is its absolute authenticity. It was not simply recreated in the Chinese style, but manufactured in China according to all the rules of traditional craftsmanship. The materials were carefully selected and processed by specialists in Shanghai before the individual parts were shipped to Belgium and assembled on site by Chinese craftsmen.

A large, weathered stone Chinese guardian lion, stands on a pedestal in a street in Antwerp, Belgium, with its paw resting on a small cub. Behind the statue, a narrow European street with colorful buildings and people walking stretches into the distance under an overcast sky.

It consists of fine tropical wood and is covered with specially fired and glazed roof tiles in imperial yellow and green – colors that were reserved for the emperor and high dignitaries in ancient China. Mighty, artfully carved dragon figures adorn the roofs. They are probably the most well-known Chinese symbol and stand for luck, strength, and imperial power. The inscriptions on the gate were executed by a famous Chinese master and praise harmony and friendship.

Het Steen – Worth-Seeing Building on the Scheldt

On the banks of the Scheldt sits a castle that is as old as Antwerp itself: Het Steen.

A bronze statue of the giant Lange Wapper stands before the stone entrance of Het Steen, a medieval fortress in Antwerp, under a bright blue sky.

We stand before the walls of Het Steen and look back on over 800 years of history. Its origins date back to the early Middle Ages when a stone castle was built here around 1200 as part of the city’s defensive system. It was intended to control the strategically important Scheldt and protect the city from enemy attacks, especially from the feared Vikings. The name “Het Steen” (The Stone) refers to the construction method. It was one of the first stone buildings in the region.

The original fortress was a classic medieval defense structure with thick, robust walls. Over the centuries, however, Het Steen was rebuilt and expanded countless times.

A detailed stone relief on the facade of Het Steen in Antwerp features the city's coat of arms, flanked by a knight in armor and a woman in traditional dress, with the inscription "Fortunata Antverpia" below.

The castle underwent its largest and most defining change under Emperor Charles V in the 16th century. He had the complex rebuilt in the Gothic style and added the gate wing bearing the Emperor’s coat of arms. This radical reconstruction transformed the once functional fortress into a more representative city palace.

In the 19th century, after large parts of the complex were demolished to straighten the Scheldt quays, the core building narrowly escaped destruction. People remembered its historical heritage and first established a museum for antiquities here and later the National Maritime Museum.

A large bronze statue of the giant Lange Wapper stands with hands on hips in front of Het Steen, a medieval fortress in Antwerp, Belgium, under a clear blue sky.

Following extensive restoration and the addition of a modern extension that stretches like a ship’s bow towards the Scheldt, the castle opened in 2021 as the official visitor center for the city of Antwerp. In addition to tourist information, it houses “The Antwerp Story,” an interactive exhibition that takes visitors on a journey through the history and districts of Antwerp. The free roof terrace offers a panoramic view over the Scheldt and the city’s skyline.

An elevated view from Het Steen in Antwerp shows the Scheldt river flowing past the city's waterfront, lined with autumn-colored trees and urban architecture under a partly cloudy sky.

The Antwerp Beguinage: An Oasis of Silence in the Heart of the City

What a wonderful place of peace, and I would move into the small houses right away. The Beguinage in Antwerp is my insider tip!

Hidden behind old walls, just a few steps away from the bustling activity of the university, lies the Antwerp Beguinage. This historic ensemble of small houses, green gardens, and cobblestone alleys is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a unique chapter in European women’s history.

A narrow cobblestone alleyway winds through the historic Groot Begijnhof in Antwerp, lined with weathered red-brick buildings and arched wooden doorways. In the background, a slender white church spire rises above the gabled rooftops under an overcast sky.

Anyone who steps through the inconspicuous gate on Rodestraat instantly leaves the noise of the modern big city behind. You enter a place of peace that transports its visitors to a long-gone era.

The history of the Antwerp Beguinage begins in the 13th century, a time of religious and social change. It was founded to give the Beguines a home. Beguines were pious, mostly unmarried women or widows from the bourgeoisie. They wanted to lead a life pleasing to God in a community but not take an eternal monastic vow. They did not submit to any fixed religious order’s rule, lived celibate lives, and devoted themselves to prayer, charitable work, and handicrafts. The court offered them protection, spiritual support, and economic independence – a revolutionary life model for that time.

A view of the historic brick house entrances at the Antwerpen Begijnhof, featuring weathered wooden doors, arched windows, and a mossy cobblestone courtyard.

The Beguinage is designed as a “city within a city,” completely enclosed by walls and only accessible through two gates. This created a protected, private sphere for the residents.

The original medieval wooden buildings were destroyed by a devastating fire in 1542. The rebuilt houses are made of brick and light sandstone, with characteristic stepped gables and small, well-kept front gardens. The simple elegance of the residential houses reflects the modest but self-determined life of the Beguines.

Interior view of the Begijnhofkerk in Antwerp, featuring a white marble altar adorned with numerous statues of saints beneath a large, ornate chandelier and a sunburst ceiling decoration. The church’s sanctuary is framed by tall columns, stained glass windows, and rows of wooden chairs for the congregation.

In the center of the complex stands the Church of St. Catherine. It was rebuilt in the late Gothic style after the fire. It is surrounded by a courtyard and an orchard.

For centuries, the court was the center of the Beguine movement in Antwerp. The women lived here, worked, cared for the sick, and helped shape the city’s social fabric. The end of this era came with the French Revolution when the community was expropriated. Although some Beguines remained, the community slowly died out. The last Antwerp Beguine, Virginia Laeremans, died in 1986.

A lush green garden in the Antwerp Beguinage features a central wooden crucifix with Jesus, flanked by two stone statues and enclosed by a rustic wooden fence. To the left, a larger weathered stone statue of a religious figure stands on a grassy lawn in front of dense trees and shrubbery.

Today, the Beguinage is owned by a public social center. The historic houses have been restored and are now rented to private individuals. So the Antwerp Beguinage is not an open-air museum, but a residential neighborhood. Anyone visiting the grounds during the day is asked to be considerate and preserve the peace of the place.

Stadsfeestzaal Antwerp

We had seen pictures that lured us to the Stadsfeestzaal in Antwerp. However, what awaited us there far exceeded our expectations.

In the middle of the Meir, the Stadsfeestzaal is hidden behind an elegant facade. The history of the Stadsfeestzaal begins in the early 20th century. The city of Antwerp wanted a prestigious venue for official receptions, grand balls, and exhibitions. The city architect then designed an opulent festival hall, which opened in 1908.

An upward-angled view of the ornate marble and gold staircase railing at the Stadsfeestzaal in Antwerp, highlighting the intricate gilded carvings and white balusters against the grand, decorated ceiling.

The neoclassical style construction was above all meant to impress. Inside, a huge, light-flooded hall dominated, spanned by an impressive glass dome on a delicate steel structure. The walls were decorated with stucco, marble, and gold leaf, wide staircases led to the galleries, and ornate mosaic floors rounded off the luxurious ambiance.

The building was the scene of countless events, from art exhibitions to trade fairs and the legendary Antwerp antique markets. But on December 27, 2000, a devastating fire broke out, laying the historic hall in ruins and ashes. The fire destroyed the magnificent dome, the marble shattered in the heat, the gold leaf melted, and of the former glory, only blackened, soot-covered walls remained.

An interior view of the Antwerpen Stadsfeestzaal shopping mall, featuring a grand, ornate gold-trimmed vaulted ceiling with a large glass skylight and a central domed rotunda. The spacious hall is filled with shoppers, cafe seating, and various retail stores like Flying Tiger, all set against a historic architectural backdrop.

In an ambitious project, the Stadsfeestzaal was rebuilt according to original plans. The monumental glass dome was newly erected, the staircases restored to their original splendor, and the gold leaf and mosaics skillfully renewed.

Today, it houses a shopping center. For me, it’s a bit of a shame, as it somewhat ruins the pompous character. Nevertheless, it is worth climbing the stairs and admiring the architecture in peace.

Grote Markt Antwerp: The Golden Heart of the City

Via one of the small streets of the old town, we reach the heart of the city, the Grote Markt. The view across the wide cobblestones of the Grote Markt is like a journey into Antwerp’s Golden Age in the 16th century. This magnificent square, surrounded by gold-decorated guild houses and overlooked by one of the most beautiful Renaissance town halls in Europe.

A wide-angle shot of the Grote Markt in Antwerp, Belgium, featuring a row of ornate, historic guild houses (Zunfthäuser) with stepped gables and golden statues under a bright blue sky. In the foreground, numerous tourists gather and walk across the cobblestone square, with a silver van parked near the center.

I hardly know where to look first. The north side of the square is dominated by a row of guild houses. Each house seems to want to outdo the other in its splendor. The narrow, towering facades are decorated with ornate carvings, ornaments, and gold leaf. These guild houses were the status symbols of the powerful craft guilds. Which house belonged to which guild can be seen on the gable. There stand allegorical statues praising the diligence and wealth of their trade.

The Antwerp City Hall (Stadhuis) stands prominently in the Grote Markt, featuring an ornate Renaissance facade and the Brabo Fountain in the foreground under a clear blue sky.

The Stadhuis (City Hall) is another eye-catcher on the Grote Markt. This building was constructed between 1561 and 1565 in the style of Renaissance architecture with distinct Flemish and Italian influences. The elegant facade is adorned with statues and the coats of arms of the Burgraves of Antwerp, the Spanish Habsburgs, and the Margraviate of Antwerp.

In the middle of the square stands the Brabo Fountain. The bronze statue from 1887 depicts a founding myth. It shows the Roman hero Silvius Brabo at the moment he throws the chopped-off hand of the giant Druon Antigoon into the Scheldt. Legend has it that the giant tyrannized the boatmen by demanding a high toll. Whoever could not pay had a hand chopped off. Brabo defeated the giant, gave him a taste of his own medicine, and freed the city from the plague. The name “Antwerp” is said to have originated from this “hand throwing” (“hand werpen”) – a story that every Antwerp resident tells with pride.

A wide-angle shot of the Grote Markt in Antwerp, Belgium, featuring a row of ornate guildhalls with stepped gables and golden statues under a bright blue sky. In the foreground, the Brabo Fountain stands tall as people walk across the cobblestone square.

Nello and Patrasche

In front of the Cathedral of Our Lady, we notice an extraordinary sculpture. A boy and a dog, sleeping closely embraced under a blanket of cobblestones.

What is the story behind this sculpture?

The story of Nello and Patrasche comes from the novel “A Dog of Flanders” by the English author Ouida from 1872. It tells the life of the poor orphan boy Nello, who lives with his grandfather in a small village on the outskirts of Antwerp. One day, he saves Patrasche, an abused cart dog, from death. From then on, the two are inseparable, and they pull the milk cart into the city every day.

Nello harbors a big dream: he wants to become a painter like the Antwerp master Peter Paul Rubens. His greatest longing is to see the famous Rubens paintings “The Elevation of the Cross” and “The Descent from the Cross” in the cathedral, but he lacks the money for it.

After a series of strokes of fate, Nello and Patrasche wander destitute and alone through the freezing cold. On Christmas Eve, they accidentally find an open door to the Cathedral of Our Lady. In the moonlight falling through the windows, Nello finally beholds the masterpieces he so admired. The next morning, the boy and his dog are found frozen to death in front of the altar, snuggled closely together.

The special thing about this story is that it was hardly known in Belgium and Antwerp itself for over a century. However, it achieved worldwide fame in other parts of the world, especially in Japan. A Japanese translation and, in particular, an anime series from 1975 made the tale a firm part of Japanese culture. From the 1980s onwards, more and more Japanese tourists came to Antwerp to visit the locations of the tragic story. They were often disappointed that their beloved heroes were completely unknown in their hometown.

Since 2016, you can now see the white marble sculpture by artist Batist Vermeulen. It shows the two main characters in their final, peaceful sleep, covered by the city that could not give them a warm home.

Antwerp Plantentuin: Green Oasis in the Middle of the City

Amidst the hustle and bustle of Antwerp’s fashion district and the theater district hides the green oasis of Antwerp: the Botanical Garden.

We ended up in the garden rather by chance through the wrought-iron gate on Leopoldstraat. Amazing how quiet the city around us suddenly became and we even heard a bird or two.

A red brick building with a pointed tower and arched windows stands in the Antwerp Botanical Garden, partially obscured by lush green trees and a white statue on a stone pedestal.

The history of the Botanical Garden is connected to the neighboring St. Elisabeth Hospital. The garden was created in 1825 on the initiative of the respected doctor and botanist Claude-Louis Sommé. Its original purpose was purely practical: it served as an herb and plant garden to supply the hospital.

Medicinal plants, herbs, and flora were cultivated here, from which the hospital pharmacists produced medicines, ointments, and tinctures for treating patients. Each plant was intended for a specific purpose, and the garden was a living textbook of pharmacy and botany for the doctors and students of the surgical school at the time.

A gravel path winds through the lush greenery of the Antwerpen Botanischer Garten, featuring large-leafed Gunnera plants in the foreground and a variety of mature trees and potted plants.

With the advancement of modern medicine, the garden lost its original function as solely a pharmacy for the hospital over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries. The city of Antwerp took over management in 1926. It developed into a green oasis for all Antwerp residents. With its winding paths, cozy benches under old trees, and the soothing splash of the pond, the garden is a perfect place to enjoy nature. The garden still houses an impressive collection of around 2,000 plant species from all over the world. Special signs indicate extraordinary or endangered plants. The historical greenhouses, including the listed “Royal Greenhouse,” house exotic and cold-sensitive plants.

A large, multi-paned glass greenhouse at the Antwerp Botanical Garden is surrounded by lush greenery, including a tall palm tree and various flowering plants.

Antwerp Zoo

Right next to the magnificent central station of Antwerp lies the Antwerp Zoo. As one of the oldest and most beautiful city zoos in the world.

It was founded in 1843 by the Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (KMDA). The original goal was primarily the promotion of zoological and botanical sciences. The zoo served as a place of study for scientists and artists and was intended to make the diversity of nature tangible for an educated public.

A view over a low fence at the Antwerp Zoo reveals a lush landscape of manicured lawns, diverse trees, and a splashing water feature.

While the zoo was a rather exclusive club for members of the Zoological Society in its early days, it quickly developed into a magnet for the entire population. A walk through the zoo is a journey through architectural history. Many of the original buildings from the 19th century are listed. The Egyptian temple (1856) for the elephants, the antelope building (1861) in oriental style, or the majestic winter garden show how zoos were once conceived as romantic gardens and palaces for animals. Thousands of animals live in enclosures. The zoo is famous for its successful breeding programs, especially for endangered species such as the okapi, the Congo peafowl, or the African penguin.

A mosaic at the Antwerp Zoo depicts a tiger fighting a snake under the French text "Jardin Zoologique" and the Latin name "Felis Tigris."

The revenue from admission fees flows directly into research projects and conservation measures locally in endangered habitats worldwide.

Stadspark Antwerp

Not far from the main train station, the Stadspark tempted us to take a walk in the greenery. What we didn’t know, however, was that it was a walk on historical grounds. Anyone strolling across the wide lawns today, relaxing in the shade of old trees, or watching the ducks on the pond can hardly imagine that massive fortress walls once towered into the sky here.

The history of the Stadspark is linked to the great urban development of Antwerp in the second half of the 19th century. After the old Spanish fortress walls lost their military significance, they were razed. A huge open area was created.

A white suspension bridge spans a calm lake surrounded by lush green trees and reeds in Antwerp City Park (Stadspark).

In 1869, a landscape architect was commissioned to design the grounds. The characteristic triangular shape of the park is no coincidence; it corresponds exactly to the shape of the former “Lunette Herentals,” an advanced defense bastion of the old fortress. The rolling hills and the deep-set pond are also remnants of the old ramparts and moats, which the architect integrated into a picturesque landscape.

Since its opening, the Stadspark has been a park for all Antwerp residents. Friends and families meet here, and older residents enjoy the peace and quiet on one of the many benches. For the youngest visitors, there is a playground that is always full of life. In addition to joggers doing their laps, you’ll also find a skate park in the park, which is very popular with the youth.

A walk along the winding paths leads past an impressive collection of native and exotic trees. The centerpiece is the large pond, which is spanned by a monumental suspension bridge and provides a habitat for numerous water birds.