Antwerp: Encyclopedia II - Antwerp - Overview

Antwerp - Overview

Antwerp is, historically, one of Belgium and the Low Countries' most important cities in terms of economy and culture. It is one of the three primary centers of the global diamond industry (along with New York City's "diamond district", and South Africa), traditionally controlled by the city's Hassidic Jewish population, the largest outside of New York. Antwerp is also well-known for its seaport with a high level of cargo shipping and oil refineries. Since the 1990s it has been recognised internationally as an important city for fashion design, as several graduates of the (Belgian) Royal Academy of Fine Arts have become internationally successful designers.

Antwerp is situated on the right bank of the river Scheldt. It is one of the largest ports in the world (in Europe it is third only to the Dutch city of Rotterdam and the German city of Hamburg), linked to the North Sea by the Schelde and the Westerschelde.

Antwerp is also notable for its zoo, one of the oldest and most famous in the world. The Antwerp Zoo is located in the middle of the city, near the railway station and is home to more than 4,000 animals. The Royal Society for Zoology focused on ensuring the welfare of numerous animals and helping to protect threatened species for more than 100 years.

Next to the Antwerp Zoo is the Centraal Station, the city's main railway station. Designed by architect Louis Delacenserie (1838-1909) and completed in 1905, the station's architecture features two monumental neo-baroque facades, topped by a large metal and glass dome (60m/197ft). The dome covers the train platforms which is typical for turn-of-the-century railway stations in Europe. Antwerp is the end of the oldest railway line in continental Europe (between Brussels and Antwerp through the city of Mechelen). Designed with all gilt and marble, the interior has been called a Renaissance painters fantasy of what classical design should be. A few years ago, the Centraal Station was used in the British television series 'Hercule Poirot.' In the series, the famous 'Belgian' detective visited Brussels and many Belgians were surprised to see that, during the filming, the Antwerp station had changed its name to 'Gare de Bruxelles' (Brussels Station).

Modern Antwerp is a finely laid out city with a succession of broad avenues which mark the position of the first enceinte. There are long streets and terraces of fine houses belonging to the merchants and manufacturers of the city which amply testify to its prosperity, and recall the 16th century distich that Antwerp was noted for its moneyed men ("Antwerpia nummis"). Despite the ravages of war and internal disturbances it still preserves some memorials of its early grandeur, notably its fine Cathedral of Our Lady. This church was begun in the 14th century, but not finished till 1518. Its tower of over 400 feet is a conspicuous object to be seen from afar over the surrounding flat country. A second tower which formed part of the original plan has never been erected.

The proportions of the interior are noble, and in the church are hung three of the masterpieces of Rubens, viz. "The Descent from the Cross," "The Elevation of the Cross," and "The Assumption." Another fine church in Antwerp is that of St James, far more ornate than the cathedral, and containing the tomb of Rubens, who devoted himself to its embellishment. The Bourse or exchange, which claims to be the first distinguished by the former name in Europe, is a fine new building finished in 1872, on the site of the old Bourse erected in 1531 and destroyed by fire in 1858. Fire has destroyed several other old buildings in the city, notably in 1891 the house of the Hansa League on the northern quays. A curious museum is the Plantin-Moretus Museum, the house of the great printer Christoffel Plantijn and his successor Jan Moretus, which stands exactly as it did in the time of the latter. The new picture gallery close to the southern quays is a fine building divided into ancient and modern sections. The collection of old masters is very fine, containing many splendid examples of Rubens, Van Dyck, Titian and the chief Dutch masters. Antwerp, famous in the middle ages and at the present time for its commercial enterprise, enjoyed in the 17th century a celebrity not less distinct or glorious in art for its school of painting, which included Rubens, Van Dyck, Jordaens, the two Teniers and many others. "Antwerpenaren", or people of Antwerp tend to be very proud of their city. Their dialect is recognised by Dutch-speaking people because of its A-sound, wich sounds more like oa (as in boar). Because of this and their habit of being assertive, they have earned the reputation of "having a big mouth".

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Overview", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki