Join us on a warm spring day in Antwerp, on a walk that traces a rich narrative through the city’s historic heart, where every street name and landmark reveals a layer of its past. Beginning at Meirbrug, once a bridge over marshy waterways, the route moves into a landscape shaped by commerce and transformation, marked by the rise of the Boerentoren or ‘Farmers’ Tower’ and the authority of the Episcopal Palace. At the Groenplaats, the city’s artistic soul emerges through the statue of Petro Paulo Rubens, before the path leads to the towering Cathedral of Our Lady and the legacy of its architect Jan Appelmans. Nearby, the legend of Silvius Brabo and Druon Antigoon brings myth into the urban fabric, explaining the very name of the city. The legend tells how a fearsome giant, Antigoon, lived along the River Scheldt and demanded a toll from all who passed. Those who refused had their hands cut off. A Roman soldier, Brabo, challenged and defeated the giant. He then cut off Antigoon’s hand and threw it into the river. According to tradition, this act gave rise to the name Antwerpen, from the Dutch hand werpen, meaning ‘to throw [the] hand’. The journey continues into the grandeur of the Grote Markt, where, at its centre, a monumental fountain depicts Brabo triumphantly casting away the severed hand of the slain giant Antigoon, whose lifeless body lies at his feet. The majestic fountain stands before the Renaissance Antwerp City Hall, framed by a ring of ornate guild houses that reflect Antwerp’s Golden Age as a global trading hub. Inside the City Hall, exhibitions trace the city’s evolution through time, displaying artefacts from archaeological excavations, representations of the cathedral’s belfry, and the gradual expansion of Antwerp alongside the growth of its harbour and its later development into one of Europe’s Chief port cities. From there, the route follows the traces of industry and commerce—coopers, butchers, and merchants—through streets like Kuiperstraat, i.e. ’Coopers’ Street’ or ’Barrel Maker Street’, referring to the craftsmen who made wooden barrels, essential for storing and transporting goods such as beer, wine, and grain in Antwerp’s trading economy, and past the historic Vleeshuis, literally meaning the ‘Meat Hall‘, which was the guild house of the butchers. Built in the early 16th century, it served as a centre for the meat trade, where butchers regulated their profession and sold their products. Reaching the Scheldt, the imposing Het Steen recalls the city’s defensive and maritime past. Het Steen, meaning ’The Stone’, is the oldest surviving building in Antwerp and a key witness to the city’s early history along the River Scheldt. Built of durable stone, the construction distinguishing itself from earlier wooden structures. Originally constructed around 1200–1225, it formed part of a larger fortified complex built after the Holy Roman Emperor Otto IV granted Antwerp city rights. At that time, the settlement needed stronger defences against both river-based attacks and regional conflicts. It is strategically positioned along the Scheldt to control access to the river, which was already becoming a vital artery for trade, and functioned as a gate and stronghold, integrated into the city’s first defensive walls. In the 16th century, under the rule of Charles V, the building was significantly enlarged and renovated. Much of the structure visible today dates from this period, including its imposing entrance and late-Gothic features. During this time, however, Het Steen also took on a darker role as a prison. It housed criminals, debtors, and occasionally those accused of heresy during the turbulent years of religious conflict. High above the Steen in Antwerp, a yellow lion with a red tongue and claws rises against a black field, catching the wind like it has done for centuries. This is the Brabantine Lion, a flag that has watched over the city through conquest, rebellion, and renewal. Long ago, when Emperor Charles V sold the old fortress to Antwerp, he made a curious demand: the banner of Brabant must always fly above its towers. It was more than a condition of sale—it was a reminder of power, heritage, and the shifting hands of history. By the 19th century, much of the surrounding fortress had been demolished as Antwerp expanded and modernised, leaving Het Steen as a solitary remnant of the medieval defences. In front of the building stands a statue of Lange Wapper, a folkloric figure said to have haunted the city, further embedding the site in local legend. In the 20th century, Het Steen was repurposed as a museum, at one point housing maritime collections that reflected Antwerp’s long relationship with the river and the sea. Today, it serves as a visitor centre and cultural landmark. We return through the streets named for trades and markets before ending at the corner of the Melkmarkt and Eiermarkt, i.e. the ’milk market’ and ’egg market’. 回