Antwerp guide

International Class 2010 Evy Van den Schilden

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Antwerp 19.03.2010

Today will visit three different shopping areas: the hectically Meir, the fancy place of the

Schuttershofstraat and the very cosy ‘Wilde Zee’ or Wild Sea.

We will talk about: theatre, palace, marketplaces, pubs…

1. Teniersplaats

a. City wall

We start here at the Teniersplaats, you can sit on

the stone bench if you want. The very wide street

with his trees, ones was the city wall. Right in

front of us there was a small door.

-‐ Do you know why?

-‐ Because it was the shortcut for people who had to catch their train.

The entrance of the city was only 200 meters to the left (for me the right). It was the

kipdorppoort or chicken-village-gate.

b. The Catwalk

In 1864 the city decided to move the wall, a few kilometres from here. Now the main

traffic circle of Antwerp is situated there. This open space was now the catwalk of the

bourgeois’ people. They did their walk here.

Some eye catchers were build here: the opera, the palace of justice and the national

bank.

c. Main axes

If you would draw a line from the Central Station across the Meir you have the main axes

of the city.

Where we are standing now, this is the main entrance of the city nowadays. You

can notice that from the amount of people you see.


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d. Two palaces

If you turn around, you see two parade palaces. It was for showing of. It fits nice

together with the cathedral. At the shop where now Benetton is situated, once was the

“Hôtel Métropole”. Only wealthy people stayed here.

e. Walking statues

Antwerp had a period that they had walking statues. It’s quiet funny. They just removed

the statues and placed them somewhere else. The statue of David Teniers had several

different places. He was the founder of the academic school.

-‐ What is he holding in his hand?

-‐ A paper

-‐ The official letter he got from the Spanish king Filip IV, the permission to start

the academic school at 1664.

f. Ancien Belgique

We will enter a shop: America Today. It’s specialised at street

and sportswear.

-‐ Was it always a shop? If not what was it once? -‐ A theatre.

-‐ It was Antwerp’s most famous Variety Theatre.

Even Louis Armstrong played here. Notice special

elements? It reveres to the glamour of these days.

-‐ The balcony, the spotlights, the old show canvas, the ticket corner with its

small window, the cloakroom…


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2. Advertising and product placement

Nowadays the big shop windows attract us. How did they do it before?

Leysstraat 15

-‐ The name is on top of the building

-‐ The product that offered is recognisable in every decorative element

(fishes and shells)

Leystraat 12-26

-‐ On the left (top): Neptune, god of the See

-‐ On the right (top): Mercury, god of the trade

-‐ It refers to the combination of the two; the world harbour of Antwerp.

3. Jezusstraat

Every person who comes by bus to the city takes this

street to enter. Actually it’s the same route of every

visitor around 1900. This was the main entrance.

a. Mathot Vanhoffelen

A person who’s from Antwerp is called a “Sinjoor”. Every Sinjoor who respects himself

makes his wedding list at this shop. It’s very exclusive. You can even do it online. It’s

also the house of faith and well known for his good quality of home devices. This family

business exists already more than 125 year.

b. The statue of Antoon Van Dyck

The statue is from Antoon Van Dyck, also a famous painter. This place was and is still a

place where people meet.


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4. Meir

c. Massimo Dutti

The Meir has an international image. You

find the same shops you’ll see in Amsterdam

or Paris. Multinationals take the chance to

give there shop a new look. Because of the

old styles of the buildings, the shops put

their status to a next level.

They spend a lot of money to restore the

buildings; good image makes good costumers… more profit.

Interior and exterior fit together. The harmonious style is brought back to live because of

the investment of Massimo Dutti.

d. Stadsfeestzaal

The city party hall is famous. It’s build in 1907.

School diplomas were distributed here. In the 50’s and

60’s big bands played here. Also the annual ball of the

Mayer was held here.

27 December 2000, the hall was totally destroyed

because of a fire. Since 27 October 2007 the hall was

totally restored!

c. Royal Palace

Mid 18th century Alexander van Susteren gave the assignment to his architect,

Baurscheit, to build a luxurious house for him.

-‐ 1812: Napoleon

-‐ Willem I

-‐ Leopold I and Leopold II

-‐ That’s why it’s called the royal palace, because of the important persons who

stayed there during their visits in Antwerp.


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5. Wapper

This place was once part of the plan to build a new

highway in Antwerp, directly connected to the Meir.

Until 1993 you could drive in both directions on the

Meir. Now it’s only for pedestrians. The owners of the

shop said that it will be bad for business, but you can

observe that they were wrong.

Steal monument: reminds of the V-Bombardment during the

WOII. It lasted for 5 months and killed more than 4000 people.

‘Pantoffeltje’ this shop only sells

this type of footwear, slippers, you

wear them at home.

6. Hopland

We enter a different shopping area:

-‐ More exclusive and expensive shops (for rich people)

-‐ Old pubs

-‐ Theatre places

Café Horta

-‐ Art Nouveau -‐ Masterpiece from Victor Horta

-‐ Originally build in Brussels

-‐ To a junk yard…

-‐ Sold for less than 0,01 euro a kilo

-‐ Restored as a beer temple by Palm (brewery)

Stadsschouwburg

-‐ Main theatre of Antwerp


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-‐ It’s called the bunker (style of the building)

Arme Duivel

-‐ Poor devil

-‐ Cheep food

-‐ Good quality

-‐ 30 persons maximum

-‐ Make their own mayonnaise

Bourlaschouwburg

-‐ Because of a lot of shows from

the opera in French during the

19th century it’s name on the

street was French Opera house

-‐ Build in 1827, by Pierre Bruno

Bourla

-‐ Reopened in 1993

-‐ Classical amphitheatre -‐ Visit the Foyer

You can see the shops Louis Vitton and Delvaux (for the

rich again…)

Verso -‐ Used to be a bank -‐ Very expensive shop

-‐ Wealthy people drinking coffee

-‐ Beautiful glass dome


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7. Wilde Zee

Last part of our trip

-‐ 5 small streets

-‐ No cars aloud

-‐ 1970

-‐ Chic, casual and craftsmanship

Bakery Goosens nr.31

-‐ A bakery

-‐ More than 125 years old -‐ The number one for bread in Antwerp

-‐ A lot of people waiting in front of the door

-‐ Rogge verdommeke (we tasted it)

Philips biscuits nr.11

-‐ Self made biscuits

-‐ Honoured by Saint-Niclas himself

Burie nr.3

-‐ Top Belgian chocolatier (do not buy! To expensive, but good)

Lombardia (middenplein)

-‐ Vegetarian restaurant

-‐ Love and peace mushroom dish

-‐ Always a happy feeling when you come out

-‐ Chaotic way of helping people

-‐ Vegetarian is not boring

Boeren Toren

-‐ Second highest building of Antwerp -‐ 1931: Originally 87 m, highest civil building of Europe

(that time!)

-‐ 1970: restoration, 100 m

-‐ Biggest Madonna (8th-10th floor)

-‐ Farmers tower: named after the builder of the

building, a bank especially for farmers. Nowadays it’s

the KBC. (a bank not especially for farmers…)

Documents

Antwerp guide