Tourist Attractions in Antwerp

The most interesting and beautiful tourist sites in Antwerp

Photos, reviews, descriptions, and links to maps

About Antwerp

The second largest and most important city in Belgium, Antwerp is a major seaport, the birthplace of Rubens and Van Dyck, and a place with a strong free trade tradition. Here the very first trade exchanges appeared, giving the city a strong impetus for development and prosperity.

Antwerp will delight the tourist with its magnificent Flemish Renaissance and Baroque architecture captured in the facades of the city’s merchant guild houses, the rich collections of paintings in the galleries, and the abundance of modern trends in fashion and art.

What is happening in Antwerp today is as important and interesting as the historical heritage of past centuries. This is why the city does not look medieval like Bruges, its streets are a harmonious blend of past and present.

Top-20 Tourist Attractions in Antwerp

Grote Markt

 0/5

Grote Markt is one of the most picturesque squares in Antwerp. Its architectural ensemble is dominated by the Town Hall, the Flemish Renaissance trade guild houses and the central Brabo fountain. Many of the historic buildings have survived from the 16th century. The fountain, crowned with a sculpture of the mythical hero Brabo, the victor of the evil giant and the champion of tribute from unfortunate people, appeared at the end of the 19th century.

Antwerp City Hall

 4.5/5

671 reviews

A historic 16th century building in the Dutch Renaissance style with Gothic elements, topped with statues of the Habsburg dynasty, the Counts of Antwerp and the Dukes of Brabant. The Town Hall was badly damaged during the Spanish takeover of the city in the 16th century, so the interiors are mostly from the 19th century. The Town Hall is a striking example of the original architectural style of the Dutch Renaissance.

Open time

Monday: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Guild Houses

 5/5

5 reviews

A group of houses opposite the Town Hall, which for many years belonged to the town’s associations of tradesmen and craftsmen. There is the House of the Old Scales, the House of the Bochars, the House of the Great Crossbowman and the House of the Clothmakers. The buildings of the Guilds were erected in the 19th century in the best Renaissance traditions. The pointed roofs of the houses are decorated with gilded figures, the front facades with a succession of lancet windows and decorative elements.

Open time

Antwerp Central Train Station

 4.6/5

3043 reviews

A railway station that is recognised as one of Antwerp’s most significant landmarks. It has more than once been ranked among the top ten most beautiful railway stations in the world. The building was erected in the early XX century according to the project of architect L. Delasenseri. The appearance of the station resembles a palace and a cathedral at the same time due to the solemn architecture and richness of the facade decoration. More than 20 types of marble were used to decorate the interiors.

Open time

Het Steen

 4.3/5

6249 reviews

A 13th century fortress on the river Scheldt. It was almost the only stone building in the area at that time, the other buildings were made of wood. The castle was used as a prison until the 19th century. There is an assumption that the fortification was founded by the Normans in the IX century. In the 20th century, a monument to the giant Long Vapper was erected on the castle square. This character is a popular hero of Antwerp legends, he scares and haunts people, leading them to their death.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Cathedral of Our Lady

 4.5/5

9723 reviews

A fourteenth-century Roman Catholic cathedral built in the Gothic style. The construction works are still considered unfinished. The cathedral houses works by famous artists such as Rubens, Van Veen, M. de Vos and J. De Backer. De Backer. The bell tower of the cathedral is included in the UNESCO heritage list. In XV-XVI centuries the building was badly damaged during anti-Catholic riots. The result of these riots was the legalisation of the Protestant branch of Christianity.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 – 5:00 PM

Sint-Jacob Antwerpen

 4.5/5

442 reviews

A late Gothic church dedicated to the Apostle James. In the first half of the 15th century there was a modest chapel on the site of the church. In 1491 the works on the construction of the church were started, but by the middle of the XVIII century they were still not completed. The Iconoclastic Revolt of 1566 and other ecclesiastical disturbances greatly hindered the construction. The interior of the temple is in Baroque style, inside there are a couple of dozens of private altars of famous citizens of the past.

Open time

Monday: 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Friday: 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 2:00 – 5:00 PM

Sint-Pauluskerk

 4.6/5

1036 reviews

A 16th century Gothic church with Baroque interiors, built on the square in front of the Antwerp cattle market (then on the outskirts of the city). The church houses many works of art, including copies of Caravaggio’s Madonna with a rosary and Rubens’s Scourging, as well as canvases by Jordaens and Van Dyck. Classical music concerts are held on the territory of the temple, where an ancient organ of the XVII century is used.

Open time

Monday: 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Friday: 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 2:00 – 5:00 PM

Saint Charles Borromeo Church

 4.6/5

2830 reviews

An opulent Baroque temple built in the 17th century to honour the inviolability and steadfastness of the Catholic faith. The structure was intended to demonstrate to the hardened Protestants the strength of the “true religion” and the impossibility of its fall. The façade, main altar and interior were designed with the participation of P. Rubens himself. Such a huge sum was spent on the construction that even the Pope was embarrassed. At the beginning of the XVIII century, as a result of a fire, most of the original decoration was lost.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, 5:00 – 6:00 PM

KMSKA - Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp

 4.6/5

3050 reviews

One of the best museums in Belgium with a rich and unique collection. The exposition contains works by local masters as well as artists from other European countries. The museum was founded in the early 19th century with the participation of the Antwerp Painters’ Guild. Mayor Van Ertborn made an invaluable contribution to the collection – in the middle of the 19th century he donated 141 paintings to the gallery, including many works by Flemish painters.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Plantin-Moretus Museum

 4.6/5

3332 reviews

The museum is housed in a 16th century printing house. The exposition tells the story of the origin and development of book printing and typography in Antwerp. The museum has a unique library with over 400 years of printed books. The collection consists of antique printing presses and typefaces. The museum was organised in 1877 and named after the two owners of the printing house – H. H. Plantin and E. Moretus.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

MoMu - Fashion Museum Antwerp

 4.1/5

246 reviews

The museum’s collection tells the story of the development of European fashion from the Middle Ages to the present day. There are more than 25 thousand different costumes, dresses, corsets, headdresses and other accessories in the museum’s holdings. A separate place is occupied by an exhibition of works by modern designers. The museum often organises festivals and interesting master classes for children.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Museum Mayer van den Bergh

 4.6/5

1083 reviews

An exhibition organised from the private collection of the merchant Meyer, who lived in Antwerp in the mid-nineteenth century. After his early death, the paintings were donated to the city (this was the will of the merchant’s mother Henriette Meyer). In addition to the exhibits, a special building, built at the expense of the Meyer family, was also given to the public for public use. The museum is now housed in this building.

Open time

MAS - Museum aan de Stroom

 4.5/5

16392 reviews

A modern building from 2011 that houses the art gallery and museum of the shipping company. The building is a red sandstone cube with even rows of glass galleries. At this stage, the museum funds are being actively formed at the expense of private collections and purchase of works of art at auctions. Earlier in the XVI century on the site of the MAS Museum was the House of German Merchants, but the building gradually fell into disrepair, and in the XIX century it was demolished.

Open time

The Rubens House

 4.4/5

6117 reviews

The house-museum of the famous painter P. Rubens, one of the most visited sights in Antwerp. The museum exhibits paintings by the master himself, as well as works by his pupils – E. Van Dyck and J. Jordaens. The house is furnished with antique furniture of the XVII century, the interiors are decorated in the Baroque style. In 1937, the building became the property of the city and was completely restored and reconstructed.

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Butcher's Store Antwerp City Brewery

 4.3/5

116 reviews

A 16th century building belonging to the Butchers’ Guild. The building resembles a severe and impregnable castle with thick walls. The house is made of red brick, decorated with lancet windows and “gothic” towers. The butchers’ guild was very rich, so it could afford to build such a grandiose structure. At the end of the 18th century, the city authorities dissolved the Guild and took away the house.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM

Zoo Antwerpen

 4.4/5

22413 reviews

City Zoo, located near the railway station. It is considered to be one of the oldest in Europe. The zoo is home to about 770 species of animals (more than 5 thousand animals). On the territory there are interesting architectural monuments, which can be classified as historical heritage. For 169 years of existence Antwerp Zoo has increased its area by 10 hectares.

Open time

Meir

 4.5/5

367 reviews

It is one of the main streets that is heavily frequented by tourists. It is home to many historical sights, expensive shops, and prestigious hotels. Meir Street in the high tourist season is always noisy with a large number of people. In the XVI century the world’s first stock exchange building appeared here. The prevailing architectural style is Baroque.

Diamant

 0/5

Antwerp is the centre of the European diamond trade. The city has its own Diamond Quarter with hundreds of workshops, four trade exchanges and many shops. Visitors are offered a huge number of diamonds of different weights, colours and shapes. Prices start from quite democratic and go up to fabulously high for unique gems.

Port Authority of Port of Antwerp-Bruges

 4.4/5

568 reviews

A major European port, ranking second in terms of cargo transport volume after the Port of Rotterdam. The harbour is located 90 km from the North Sea at the mouth of the Scheldt River. Several hundred cranes and dozens of docks continuously serve ships from all over the world. Through a network of canals, the port of Antwerp is connected to many parts of Belgium and France, as well as to the Rhine River.

Open time

Monday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed