A few weeks ago, Jan's best friend, Sasa, was here visiting from Prague. So we went around seeing some of the sites here in Antwerp. It was really quite fun, because, even though I've been here since October, I've not gone around to see the sites. So here are some pictures from Antwerp. Enjoy!
Jan and Sasa
The Cathedral of Our Lady
Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, or the Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp, was started in 1351 and, although the first stage of construction was ended in 1521, has never been 'completed'. In Gothic style, its architects were Jan and Pieter Appelmans. It contains a number of significant works by the Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens, as well paintings by artists such as Otto van Veen, Jacob de Backer and Marten de Vos.
The cathedral is on the list of World Heritage Sites.
Antwerpen Stadhuis (Town Hall)
The City Hall (Dutch: Stadhuis) of Antwerp, Belgium, stands on the western side of Antwerp's Grote Markt (Great Market Square). Erected between 1561 and 1565 to the design of Cornelis Floris de Vriendt and several other architects and artists, this Renaissance building incorporates both Flemish and Italian influences.
The low arcaded ground story is of rusticated stone, and at one time housed little shops. Above are two stories with Doric and Ionic columns separating large mullioned windows, and a fourth story forming an open gallery.
The richly ornamented center section, which rises above the eaves in diminishing stages, holds female statues representing Justice, Prudence, and the Virgin Mary, and bears the coats of arms of the Duchy of Brabant, the Spanish Habsburgs, and the Margraviate of Antwerp.
In the 16th century, the municipal authorities proposed to replace Antwerp's small medieval town hall with a more imposing structure befitting the prosperity of the great port city. Domien de Waghemakere drafted a plan (c. 1540) for a new building in a style typical of the monumental Gothic town halls of Flanders and Brabant.
But an atmosphere of war prevented any progress on the project. The building material intended for the city hall was instead used to shore up the city defenses. Not until about 1560 were new plans developed, this time in the new Renaissance style. Completed in 1565, the building lasted hardly a decade before being burnt to a shell in the Spanish Fury of 1576. It was repaired three years later.
Renovations during the late 19th century by Pierre Bruno Bourla drastically modified the interior. Much of the stately decor dates from this period, as does a roof over what was once an open-air inner courtyard.
This and that
It was a beautiful day, and all the people were out eating in the sidewalk cafes. These cafes are all over the city, and are lovely ways to pass the time.
As you walk around Antwerp, there are so many buildings to admire. Many are from the 17th century!
This one's for Bret's Dad and brother.
Trams in Antwerp
This is what the majority of the trams in Antwerp look like, including the graffiti. There is graffiti everywhere in this town. People writing or spraying on virtually every surface. It's like New York City in the 70s and 80s. I've never understood people's need for destruction of public property, but that's just me.
Chocolate Hands
The city gets its name from the old word for "harbor", but more appealing, it gets its name from a well-known myth. Back in the days, Antwerp was terrorized by a giant called Lange Wapper, who collected toll from passing ships. One day a fellow named Brabo didn't want to pay and fought and killed him. He chopped of the hand of the giant and threw it into the river Schelde. Throwing hands in Dutch is "hand werpen", hence "Antwerpen". The statue on the central square (Grote Markt) depicts this myth. So now-a-days you can find these chocolate hands everywhere.
Some kind of sex bus...I don't really know, or want to.
