Antwerp is my favorite place to go shopping, I usually go shopping in the afternoon and spend the evening enjoying the nightlife there :)

Here's a little info about Antwerp !

Antwerp, daughter of the River Scheldt and second largest city of Belgium.. The 500.000 inhabitants call it the 'Metropolis' (Antwerpians are known in Belgium for not being too modest). This city has so many different facets that it takes a while before one gets to know it thoroughly.

It is the second largest harbor of Europe (after Rotterdam). Moreover, Antwerp is a splendid city with numerous architectural highlights, most of which date from the 16th (the golden era of Antwerp) and the 17th century. The destruction's of the Second World War, unfortunately, has scarred somehow the fair face of the old town. Still there are enough monuments left for those who like monument-hopping to spend a few days admiring them. The past is also represented by the numerous paintings of Peter Paul Rubens who lived in the Antwerp of the early 17th century.

Antwerp, the diamond center of the World. If diamonds really are a girl's best friend, than a lot of ladies will not leave out a visit to the diamond district around the Railway Station. This area is also the Jewish part of the city. The presence of many 'Chassidic' Jewish people gives the city a flair that cannot be found in other Belgian cities.

Antwerp, however, does not only live from the past. Nowadays, Antwerp has earned a place among the fashion cities of the world thanks to the efforts of numerous young Flemish fashion designers ( e.g.: Walter Van Beirendonck, Nadine Wynants, Ann De Meulemeester, Dirk Bikkembergs, Kaat Tilley and others). Visit the fashion area of Antwerp near the Meir shopping street.

Antwerp - or Antwerpen as it is in Dutch - was often written as 'Hantwerpen' even into the seventeenth century. Hardly surprisingly really, because according to an old legend that was just as it should be.
That legend has it that around the beginning of our calendar, the giant Antigoon called the shots at the bend in the River Scheldt, demanding a heavy toll from each passing shipmaster. Those who refused to pay had a hand chopped off. But an end came to this wicked enterprise when the Roman warrior Silvius Brabo, slew the giant, chopped off its hand and threw it into the River Scheldt. Hence: 'Hantwerpen', 'hand throwing'. The H disappeared, 'Antwerpen' stuck.

So much for the legend. In reality the name Antwerpen may derive from the 'aanwerp', an alluvial mound in the River Scheldt, level with the Steen, the site of an early settlement. That alluvial mound disappeared at the end of the nineteenth century, when the quays of the Scheldt were straightened.

Though there is not a shred of truth in the story of Brabo, the 'Sinjoren' nevertheless still pay tribute to their liberator. The bronze fountain (1887) on the main square, the Grote Markt, is the work of the Antwerp sculptor Jef Lambeaux.

How old is Antwerp?
Excavations have proved that there was habitation on the bend in the River Scheldt, opposite the Steen, as long ago as the Gallo-Roman period (second and third centuries AD).

Christianization of a settlement just to the south of that started around the year 650. The Vikings destroyed it in 836. After that the site near the Steen became the most important centre of habitation and it was from this nucleus that our modern-day city developed.

At the end of the tenth century Antwerp became a margraviate, a bord-er province of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. The River Scheldt was the border and the County of Flanders lay on the other side. The original wooden part of the fortification was replaced by a surrounding stone wall, the remains of which can still be seen today. In the twelfth century St Norbert founded St Michael's Abbey in the more southerly habitation. Several canons of the little church there moved to the northerly nucleus and founded a new parish around the Church of Our Lady, the first forerunner of the Cathedral of Our Lady.

The city, which was then part of the Duchy of Brabant, expanded concentrically. The successive city walls are still identifiable in the street pattern. The first period of economic prosperity followed in the first half of the fourteenth century. Antwerp became the most important trading and financial centre in Western Europe, especially as a seaport and wool market.

In 1356 the city was annexed to the County of Flanders and lost very many privileges, partly to the advantage of Bruges. Fifty years later the political and economic tide turned again and the run-up to the Golden Age began, when Antwerp became a metropolis of world class, a kind of sixteenth-century Manhattan.

This was the centre of trade and culture Florentijn Lodovico Guicciardini described as "the most beautiful city in the world". The most famous names from that period are the painters Quinten Metsys and Breughel, the printer Plantijn and humanists and scientists like Lipsius, Mercator, Dodoens and Ortelius.

In the second half of that century the city was the focus of the politico-religious struggle between the Protestant North and Catholic Spain and as such it was stricken by a serious of calamitous events: the iconoclasm (1566), the Spanish Fury (1576) and finally the Fall of Antwerp (1585). After the Fall, the city came under the rule of Philip II again and the Northern Netherlands closed off the Scheldt. From an economic point of view this was a disaster.

To make matt-ers worse, not only Protestants fled the city but so did the commerc-ial and intellectual elite. Of the city's 100,000 inhabitants in 1570, by 1590 only about 40,000 remained. Yet the city continued to flourish culturally until the mid-seventeenth century with painters like Rubens, Van Dyck, Jordaens and Teniers, the sculptor families Quellin and Verbrugghen, printers like Moretus, the famous Antwerp harpsichord builders, etc.

There is little of cheer to recount in the history of Antwerp between 1650 and the nineteenth century. The River Scheldt remained closed to traffic and the metropolis became a provincial town. Under Austrian rule (1715-1792), Joseph II tried to free the river by military force, but the plan misfired. In 1795, under French occupation, it succeeded but this time the ships encountered an English blockade. This was hardly surprising since Napoleon regarded the port of Antwerp as "a pistol pointed at the heart of England". Whilst it is true that Antwerp owed the beginnings of a modern port to that French period (1792-1815), at the same time the city's cultural heritage fell prey to art plundering and destruction on a scale rarely seen before. Plans were even drawn up to demolish the Cathedral.

After the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo (1815), there followed a short-lived reunification with the Northern Netherlands and an equally short period of prosperity which ended with the Belgian Revolution (1830) and once again the closure of the Scheldt. It was reopened, this time for good, in 1863. Then Antwerp's third great heyday could begin.

Apart from interruptions during the two world wars, Antwerp experienced steady economic growth in the twen-tieth century and consequently a cultural revival, which culminated in Antwerp's nomination as Cultural Capital of Europe in 1993, in recognition of its historical and contemporary riches. Riches which you, too, can enjoy.

Antwerp is the largest city in Flanders, the northern part of Belgium. Modern Flanders derives its name from the historic county, but it does not entirely correspond geographically. Approximately 60% of the 10 million Belgians are Flemings. They speak Dutch. Like their French and German-speaking compatriots, they have their own parliament and government. The capital of Flanders is Brussels, also capital of federal Belgium and the heart of Europe.

Antwerp is divided into nine administrative districts: Antwerp, Berchem, Borgerhout, Deurne, Ekeren, Hoboken, Merksem, Wilrijk and Zandvliet. That territory, which covers approximately 20,500 hectares, is home to the city's some 445,000 inhabitants.

The city lies in 51°13'16'' north latitude and 4°23'60'' eastern longitude. It has a moderate maritime climate.

Antwerp, its city centre and mosaic of neighbourhoods and districts. The largest city in Flanders, the metropolis of Antwerp is made up of many fascinating little neighbourhoods and districts, as well as areas typically frequented by the tourists.

The historic centre comprises the oldest part of the city. Behind the façades of this picturesque décor are unique art collections, sump-tuous interiors, atmospheric cafés and bars and a whole range of restaurants. This attractive area with its large concentration of listed buildings and tourist attractions, located close to the banks of the River Scheldt, invites - and indeed merits - repeated exploration.

Things to see in Antwerp :

The Meir :

The Meir is the name of the most famous shopping street of Antwerp. The large avenue is now free of traffic and invites thousands of people every day to a pleasant shopping stroll in a beautiful historic surrounding. Roughly spoken, the shopping district of the Meir stretches from Our Lady's Cathedral to Central Station.
The street boasts numerous beautiful historic buildings. One of the most important is the 'Osterrieth'-house at number 85. This house was built between 1745-1746 by architect Van Baurscheit in Rococo-style. The middle section has almost literally been carved out with a chisel and is decorated with a monumental fronton. It is now the seat of the Paribas

Belgium bank and houses a remarkable collection of Belgian paintings.
Another of the historical buildings alongside the Meir is situated at number 50. It used to be the former Royal Residence of the Belgian Kings in Antwerp. It was also built, like the Osterrieth House, by architect Van Baurscheit in Rococo -style around 1745. It is now used for expositions and for the film museum. It is a beautiful testimony of the last wave of Baroque art, the ornately decorative Rococo Style.

In a side-street (named 'Wapper') of the Meir avenue stands the former house of Peter Paul Rubens, the greatest and most famous of all the Antwerp painters. Rubens bought an existing 16th century house here, after he had returned from his stay in Italy (1600-1608). He lived in the house from 1616 onwards and died here in 1640.
Rubens had it embellished and turned it into one of the most elegant Renaissance-Baroque Houses of the Low Countries, with a beautiful restyled garden and an impressive entrance. It was here that most of his splendid Baroque paintings were created. Diplomats, artists, art lovers and collectors, scientists and even the Spanish Archdukes Albert and Isabella visited him here. It was also here that his first wife Isabella Brant and his daughter died.

After his death the house was sold to others who, through the course of time, changed it considerably. In 1937 the severely damaged house was bought by the City of Antwerp (thanks to Mayor Camille Huysmans). Two old sketches from the 1680's (the oldest known images of the house) were used as basis for the restoration.

It now houses the 'Rubens House -Museum'. Nowadays visitors to the house should be aware that they don't visit a house as it was left behind by its most famous inhabitant, but rather a reconstruction of what it must have looked like in the first half of the 17th century. The collection of paintings by Rubens himself and by some of his contemporaries alone already make it worth to pay the entrance fee. During a visit one can stroll through the reconstructed garden, visit the work shop of Rubens and his private quarters.

Het Steen :

'Steen' is the Dutch word for 'stone'. In Antwerp the 'Steen' is the name of the little castle that can be seen at the entrance of the city center, on the border of the river Scheldt. The castle is called that way because it was one of the earliest buildings in Antwerp constructed with stones (at a time when most houses were still built with wood). The name 'Steen' can be found in other cities too. It always refers to a castle-like fortification (e.g.: the castle of the counts of Flanders in the city of Gent is also called 'Graven-steen', or (stone) Castle of the Counts). The Antwerp Steen has been renovated numerous times. It was probably built as a part of the fortification around the city in the 13th century. In 1520, during the reign of Charles V, the castle was renovated by the architects Keldermans and De Waghemakere. The chapel which forms a loggia above the entrance dates from this period. It bears the motto of Charles V 'Plus Outre'. At the entrance a relief statue can be seen of a man with spread out legs. This statue also used to have a very large penis and was therefore venerated by numerous women looking for a cure against infertility. The Jesuits found the statue too obscene in the 17th century.... and off went the decoration of the statue ! The Steen was used as a prison from 1549 until 1823. As from 1862 it was used as the Archeological Museum. It was again renovated in 1889-1890 and a Neo-gothic wing was added to the building. Since 1952 The National Navigation Museum is housed here. Next to the castle are the large storage halls of the 19th century harbor. Here can be seen numerous vessels and boats which belong to the Maritime Museum.

Groenplaats :

The town square 'Grote Markt' is the most beautiful square of the city of Antwerp as well as the historical heart of it. The most popular square, however, is certainly the 'Groenplaats' (= Green Square). The square used to be a parking lot. But recently, the parking has been built underground, and the Groenplaats is rapidly finding back its charm of old.
On warm afternoons the square can be really packed with people (tourists as wells as Antwerpians) who all enjoy a good beer (or something else) on the numerous terraces.

The Groenplaats is dominated by Our Lady's Cathedral. In medieval times the cemetery of the cathedral was located here. Around the square are numerous restaurants and cafés where many famous artists spent their time. In the middle of the Groenplaats the statue of Rubens can be seen. It was made in 1843 by sculptor Geefs. Very beautiful is the facade of the 'Karbonkelhuis' at number 33. This former 'diamond house' is an example of the Renaissance style. The name of the house is derived from the diamond head decoration at the ground floor.

The right side of the square is dominated by the late 19th century imposing building of the Hilton Hotel. It used to be the 'Grand Bazar', one of the leading Belgian department stores. Behind the Hilton Hotel is now a pleasant and spacious covered shopping gallery.

Much like in most other cities in Belgium, the contrast in architectural styles is not absent at the Groenplaats. The Gothic tower of the Cathedral finds a 20th century answer in the 'Boerentoren'. This tower is the seat of the KBC, one of the important Belgian banks.

It was built in 1930 in art deco style. It is 97 m high and is considered by most as the first 'skyscraper' in Europe. The Antwerpians call it the 'Boerentoren' (= farmers tower) because the farmers were the most important clients of the KBC in the first half of the 20th century.

How diamonds came to Antwerp :

Until the beginning of the 18th century, all diamonds came from India. Mainly through Venice, Northern Europe maintained a continuous trade link with the East as of the beginning of the 13th century. One of Venice’s most important trade partners was Bruges, a thriving port and one of the richest cities in Europe. Bruges became a centre of diamond trade and manufacturing. This is illustrated by the legend relating that diamond polishing was invented by one of Bruges’ citizens, Lodewyk van Bercken. He is said to have discovered the process of working one diamond with the aid of another. Towards the end of the 14th century, Bruges declined as trade centre, due to a number of economic factors and the silting up of the channel to its harbour. Antwerp took its place and became the most important city of the Netherlands. By the beginning of the 16th century, Antwerp had become the world centre for diamond trade and industry. Throughout its Golden Age, Antwerp accounted for some 40% of the world trade passing through its port. With the struggle for independence against Spain, the tide turned. Antwerp fell to the Spanish in 1585, causing a great number of inhabitants – among which many skilled workmen – to flee to Amsterdam. Thus, diamond trade and industry moved away from Antwerp in the 17th century. However, as of the end of the 19th century, Antwerp recovered. Discoveries in South Africa brought forth a stream of rough stones, which in turn contributed greatly to Antwerp’s status as the world’s leading diamond centre. After World War II, the Antwerp World Diamond Center really boomed.

I wouldn't mind a necklace like this !! heehee ;)