Antwerpen-Centraal (Antwerp Central Station), Antwerp (must see)
Antwerp is a perfect blend of old and new, renowned for its great effort in preserving historic buildings. One such building is the Antwerp Central Station, aka Middenstatie (Middle station). The latter name 鈥� now an antiquated expression in Dutch 鈥� is seen on the plaque fixed on the north wall of the Station.
A key landmark in the city, this mighty edifice is one of the finest examples of railway architecture in Belgium. It's been repeatedly voted among the world鈥檚 most impressive railway stations, including number four in 2009 by the U.S. Newsweek magazine, and number one in 2014 by the British-American magazine Mashable.
The original stone-clad structure, with a steel platform covering, was designed by Louis Delacenserie. It was built between 1895 and 1905 as a replacement for the first terminus of the Brussels-Mechelen-Antwerp railway.
Because of its unique architecture, historians still struggle to attribute the Antwerpen-Centraal to any particular style. The eclectic mix features a Neo-Gothic front, a massive dome over the iron-glass waiting hall, for which the building has been colloquially referred to as the "spoorwegkathedraal" ("railroad cathedral"), and a modern multilevel platform system. Another notable element, the viaduct leading into the Station, was designed by local architect, Jan Van Asperen.
During WWII, the train hall sustained severe damage by V-2 rockets, which is still visible today due to a lasting wave-distortion in the roof.
Recently, the Station was completely renovated, and in 2007 had an underground tunnel opened. Today it operates 14 railways tracts at four different terminals and plays a vital role in connecting various parts of Belgium.
If you're an architecture buff or railway enthusiast, having the Antwerpen-Centraal on your list of things to see is a must! But even if you're neither of these, we still recommend visiting it, just for the spectacle.
A key landmark in the city, this mighty edifice is one of the finest examples of railway architecture in Belgium. It's been repeatedly voted among the world鈥檚 most impressive railway stations, including number four in 2009 by the U.S. Newsweek magazine, and number one in 2014 by the British-American magazine Mashable.
The original stone-clad structure, with a steel platform covering, was designed by Louis Delacenserie. It was built between 1895 and 1905 as a replacement for the first terminus of the Brussels-Mechelen-Antwerp railway.
Because of its unique architecture, historians still struggle to attribute the Antwerpen-Centraal to any particular style. The eclectic mix features a Neo-Gothic front, a massive dome over the iron-glass waiting hall, for which the building has been colloquially referred to as the "spoorwegkathedraal" ("railroad cathedral"), and a modern multilevel platform system. Another notable element, the viaduct leading into the Station, was designed by local architect, Jan Van Asperen.
During WWII, the train hall sustained severe damage by V-2 rockets, which is still visible today due to a lasting wave-distortion in the roof.
Recently, the Station was completely renovated, and in 2007 had an underground tunnel opened. Today it operates 14 railways tracts at four different terminals and plays a vital role in connecting various parts of Belgium.
If you're an architecture buff or railway enthusiast, having the Antwerpen-Centraal on your list of things to see is a must! But even if you're neither of these, we still recommend visiting it, just for the spectacle.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Antwerp. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Antwerpen-Centraal (Antwerp Central Station) on Map
Sight Name: Antwerpen-Centraal (Antwerp Central Station)
Sight Location: Antwerp, Belgium (See walking tours in Antwerp)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Antwerp, Belgium (See walking tours in Antwerp)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Antwerp, Belgium
Create Your Own Walk in Antwerp
Creating your own self-guided walk in Antwerp is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Antwerp Introduction Walking Tour
A major city-port on the River Scheldt in Belgium, Antwerp is known primarily as the diamond capital of Europe. For centuries, Antwerp's Diamond District has been the center of diamond trade, with thousands of dealers, cutters and polishers processing 85% of the world's rough diamonds each year.
Historical Antwerp has its origins in a Gallo-Roman settlement, first mentioned in the 4th... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Historical Antwerp has its origins in a Gallo-Roman settlement, first mentioned in the 4th... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Antwerp Historic Center Walk
Antwerp is a bustling metropolis, replete with modern entertainment, yet it is the centuries-old city center that fuels tourists' interest the most. Indeed, downtown Antwerp is steeped in history. So much so, in fact, that to see all that it has to offer, you'll need way more than one day.
Here history awaits you practically round every corner 鈥� seen in the ancient building-fronts... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
Here history awaits you practically round every corner 鈥� seen in the ancient building-fronts... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.9 Km or 2.4 Miles
Antwerp's Historical Churches Tour
Antwerp, a city steeped in history and culture, boasts an array of historical churches that stand as testaments to its past.
Reigning supreme among them is the Cathedral of Our Lady, a stunning 14th-century Gothic masterpiece. Its towering spire dominates the city skyline and houses invaluable artworks by renowned artists such as Peter Paul Rubens, Otto van Veen, Jacob de Backer, and Marten de... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
Reigning supreme among them is the Cathedral of Our Lady, a stunning 14th-century Gothic masterpiece. Its towering spire dominates the city skyline and houses invaluable artworks by renowned artists such as Peter Paul Rubens, Otto van Veen, Jacob de Backer, and Marten de... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles