Antwerp
Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504, was developed as a fortified city, but very little remains of the 10th century
enceinte
Enceinte (from Latin incinctus: girdled, surrounded) is a French term that refers to the "main defensive enclosure of a fortification". For a castle, this is the main defensive line of wall towers and curtain walls enclosing the position. Fo ...
. Only some remains of the first city wall can be seen near the
Vleeshuis
The Vleeshuis (Butcher's Hall, or literally Meat House) in Antwerp, Belgium is a former guildhall. It is now a museum located between the Drie Hespenstraat, the Repenstraat and the Vleeshouwersstraat. The slope where the Drie Hespenstraat meets t ...
museum at the corner of Bloedberg and Burchtgracht, and a replica of a ''burg'' (castle) named ''
Steen'' has been partly rebuilt near the Scheldt-quais during the 19th century. Parts of the canals that protected the city between the 12th and 16th century have been covered and used as a sewage system. Both the 16th century city walls and the 19th century fortifications have been covered up by major infrastructure works during the 19th and 20th century.
Overview
Antwerp's development as a fortified city is documented between the 10th and the 20th century. The fortifications were developed in six phases:
* First fortification 980 AD: first fortified wall and ditch, improved around 1100
* Second fortification 12th century: first ''vlieten'' and ''ruien'' (city canals) were dug
** Expanded second fortification during 13th and 14th century:
*** expansion to the north with more ''ruien''
*** expansion to the south with ''vesten''
* Third fortification before the 16th century: on the south and east side of the city
* Fourth fortification, 16th century: construction of the Spanish fortifications
* Fifth fortification, early 19th century: construction of a 1st ring of Brialmont fortresses about 10 km from the original ''burg''
* Sixth fortification, 19th century after the independence of Belgium: construction of a 2nd ring of Brialmont fortresses about 20 km from the original ''burg''
From the 18th century major works and construction projects have changed the nature of the original innercity canals, and in the 19th and 20th century the projects for the development of the port have destroyed all visible signs of the fortification works and made the canals disappear from view.
Some of the fortifications are still being used as military installations.
First fortification ca. 10th century AD
![Antwerp 1st fortification with overlay of 19th century Construction of Scheldt quais](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Antwerp_1st_fortification_with_overlay_of_19th_century_Construction_of_Scheldt_quais.jpg)
Since the
Treaty of Verdun
The Treaty of Verdun (), agreed in , divided the Francia, Frankish Empire into three kingdoms among the surviving sons of the emperor Louis the Pious, Louis I, the son and successor of Charlemagne. The treaty was concluded following almost three ...
(843) the river
Scheldt
The Scheldt (french: Escaut ; nl, Schelde ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of Netherlands, the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corr ...
was the natural and political border between the
County of Flanders
The County of Flanders was a historic territory in the Low Countries.
From 862 onwards, the counts of Flanders were among the original twelve peers of the Kingdom of France. For centuries, their estates around the cities of Ghent, Bruges and Ypr ...
(belonging to the Kingdom of France) to the west and the
German Empire
The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...
. In 980 the German Emperor
Otto II
Otto II (955 – 7 December 983), called the Red (''der Rote''), was Holy Roman Emperor from 973 until his death in 983. A member of the Ottonian dynasty, Otto II was the youngest and sole surviving son of Otto the Great and Adelaide of Italy. ...
awarded Antwerp a
margraviate, and ordered a fortification built on the wharf, part of his fortification program for his western border. Around 1106 the
Counts of Leuven
The Counts of Louvain were a branch of the Lotharingian House of Reginar which from the late 10th century ruled over the estates of Louvain (''French'') or Leuven (''Dutch'') in Lower Lorraine.
History
The likely ancestor of the Reginars, Gilbe ...
, the later
Dukes of Brabant
The Duke of Brabant (, ) was the ruler of the Duchy of Brabant since 1183/1184. The title was created by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in favor of Henry I of the House of Reginar, son of Godfrey III of Leuven (who was duke of Low ...
, acquired the
Margraviate of Antwerp
The Margraviate of Antwerp (or Mark of Antwerp) consisted since the eleventh century of the area around the cities of Antwerp and Breda.
Origin
Under Otto II, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, several marches were created along the border wi ...
, and it continued to be part of the
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a State of the Holy Roman Empire established in 1183. It developed from the Landgraviate of Brabant and formed the heart of the historic Low Countries, part of the Burgundian Netherlands from 1430 and of the Habsburg Neth ...
until the end of the
Ancien Régime
''Ancien'' may refer to
* the French word for "ancient, old"
** Société des anciens textes français
* the French for "former, senior"
** Virelai ancien
** Ancien Régime
** Ancien Régime in France
{{disambig ...
.
The first fortification consisted of a wall and ditch surrounding an enceinte built partly on the wharf. The wall was about high and thick and the ditch (on the north and southside of the fortification wall) was about - wide. The ditch wa located at the north and eastside at the current location of the street called ''Burchtgracht'' (a name that translates literally into "fortress ditch"), in the south it was at the ''Palingbrug''. In 1104 Emperor
Hendrik IV reinforced the walls to high and thick. The remnants of this wall can still be seen near the west face of the
Vleeshuis
The Vleeshuis (Butcher's Hall, or literally Meat House) in Antwerp, Belgium is a former guildhall. It is now a museum located between the Drie Hespenstraat, the Repenstraat and the Vleeshouwersstraat. The slope where the Drie Hespenstraat meets t ...
at the end of the ''Vleeehuisstraat''.
The wharf was a dry landmass, a dry hill protruding about 30 m into the main track of the river Scheldt (measured from the current 19th-century Scheldt-quayside). The enceinte within the wall was about in size, and contained 3 streets: the old ''Steenstraat'' (the current ramp leading to the ''het Steen'' building), the ''Zakstraat'' and the ''Mattestraat'', and there was a square : the ''Burgplein''. The rivershore sloped steeply into the river at the south and west of the wharf and more gently at the northside (the quays in the drawings to the right were constructed at a later date). On the westside there was only a fortification wall (no ditch) facing the river with a tollhouse at the wharfgate. Within the enceinte the most important buildings were:
* house ''het Steen'', (part of the current monument),
* house ''het hof van Cruyninghe'' (the Margrave's residence),
* the church dedicated to
St Walburga, (which has entirely disappeared)
* the ''Vierschaer'' (the tribunal)
* a refuge of the
Affligem Abbey
Affligem Abbey ( nl, Abdij Affligem, french: Abbaye d'Affligem) is a Benedictine abbey in the municipality of Affligem, Flemish Brabant, Belgium, to the north-west of Brussels. Dedicated in 1086, it was the most important monastery in the Du ...
* a brewery.
![Reste der Stadtmauer (Antwerpen 2007-04) - panoramio](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Reste_der_Stadtmauer_%28Antwerpen_2007-04%29_-_panoramio.jpg)
During recent excavations behind the Vleeshuis on the intersection of the current Vleeshuisstraat and Burchtgracht, the remainder of the medieval wall structure was excavated and also the floor of the cellar of house ''De Gans'' (The Goose, an inn) and a well. Another part of the fortification wall that had been enclosed in the old "badhuis" building (formerly the public baths) was made visible again when that building was demolished (a new structure has been built on the badhuis site, but the remainder of the medieval fortification wall is now better preserved, see gallery).
Before the 13th century
The city developed quickly outside its initial fortification, and by 1200 it had quadrupled in surface. Because trade had become the main activity of the city, canals were dug around its extremities, to allow barges to bring cargo into the city to and from the ships moored at the wharf. Those canals were called ''ruien'' . The canals flooded at high tide and emptied at low tide. The canals that connected with the main river Scheldt were called ''vliet''
Initially the barges moored in the early canals would come to rest on the muddy bottom making cargo handling nearly impossible. So at certain places attempts were made to build wooden jetties and stone fortified quays to replace the sloping embankments of the canals such that barges could be moored alongside and be discharged and loaded even if the canal was empty of river water.
The canals were considered the second fortification of Antwerp. The triangle of canals (''ruiendriehoek'') enclosed about . All of the ''ruien and vlieten'' of the ''ruiendriehoek'' have been covered and serve as the city sewage system; the system is open for visits by tourists. The current street names still remind of the "rui", "vliet" below it and the "brug" (bridge) reminded of bridges allowing access to the city.
The ''ruiendriehoek'' consisted of following streets :
* ''Koolkaai'' is the remainder of the ''Holenvliet'' or ''Kolenvliet'' which was covered in the 13th century where charcaol would come to the city,
* ''Koepoortbrug'' is the first visual remainder of the first canal system, through the ''Koepoort''bridge and citygate cattle would be brought to the nearby cattlemarket (''Veemarkt'') where it was bought by the butchers; the cattle went directly to the ''
Vleeshuis
The Vleeshuis (Butcher's Hall, or literally Meat House) in Antwerp, Belgium is a former guildhall. It is now a museum located between the Drie Hespenstraat, the Repenstraat and the Vleeshouwersstraat. The slope where the Drie Hespenstraat meets t ...
'' (which was a nearly industrial slaughterhouse in that era).
* ''Minderbroedersrui'' is over the actual location of this pre 13th century canal, and refers to the order of the ''Minderbroeders'' (
Order of Friars Minor
The Order of Friars Minor (also called the Franciscans, the Franciscan Order, or the Seraphic Order; postnominal abbreviation OFM) is a mendicant Catholic religious order, founded in 1209 by Francis of Assisi. The order adheres to the teachi ...
)
* ''Wijngaardbrug'' was the most eastern corner of the city (at the end of the current ''Wolstraat''),
* ''Jezuïtenrui'' is partly on the map but is not aligned with the old canal, the canal runs in a fairly straight line form the ''Wijngaardbrug'' under the
Saint Carolus Borromeus church
St. Charles Borromeo Church (Dutch: ''Sint-Carolus Borromeuskerk'') is a church in central Antwerp, located on the Hendrik Conscience square. It was built in 1615-1621 as the Jesuit church of Antwerp, which was closed in 1773. It was rededicated ...
towards the ''Melkmarkt'',
* ''Reinoldsbrug'' (current ''Melkmarkt'') has disappeared but would have been at the intersection of the ''Melkmarkt'' and ''Korte Nieuwstraat''
* ''Kaasrui'' was moved north to its current location, but runs in a fairly straight line to the ''Suikerrui''
* also the ''Broodbrug'' has disappeared currently the intersection of ''Suikerrui'' and ''Hoogstraat''
* ''Suikerrui'' is not on top but on the south embankment of its covered namesake
* ''Botervliet'' was the most southern canal but it has disappeared completely with the 19th century works on the waterfront.
During the 13th century
However, buildings would soon be constructed on the outside of the ''ruien'', and as trade increased two expansions occurred during the 13th century.
Before 1250 an extension of the ruien was dug to the south. The canals were named ''vliet'' (connected to the Scheldt and ''vest''.
* the ''St Cathelijnevest'', connected at the ''Wijngardbridge'' to the ''Jezuitenrui '' and the ''Minderbroedersrui'',
* another vest (name lost, but suspected ''Huidevettersvest'') at the current trace of the Wiegstraat
* and then right back to the Scheldt ''Lombardenvest''
* ''St Jansvliet''.
To the north the Dominican order decided to build a monastery, the "Predikherenklooster". The Holenrui was filled up again, which meant there was no waterpassage between the end of the Kool- or Kolenvliet (a current street, name Koolkaai) and the ''Minderbroedersui'' and ''Koepoortbridge''. In order to create a passage to the Minderbroedersrui 3 new canals were dug around the monastery, the Verversrui, Falconrui and one of which the name has disappeared from the maps. North of the Koolrui a new access canal was dug between the Scheldt and the Verversrui: the St Pietersvliet.
At the end of the 13th century (1295)
John II, Duke of Brabant
John II (27 September 1275 – 27 October 1312), also called John the Peaceful, was Duke of Brabant, Lothier and Limburg (1294–1312). He was the son of John I of Brabant and Margaret of Flanders.
John II succeeded his father in 1294 ...
decided to create new fortifications, which made the city grow to . He started in the south incorporating the
St Michielsadbij that had been built south of the St Jansvliet) inside the fortifications, and built the Kronenburg-tower on the river bank. The fortification went in a nearly straight line east to the Bluetower (currently ''Blauwtorenplein'') where the fortification went north through the Wapper (where Rubens had his residence and atelier) and Cauwenberg right up to the ''Paardenmarkt'' (horse market) where it joined the north fortification of the Falconrui.
16th century
The 16th century "Spanish fortifications" and the old
citadel
A citadel is the core fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of "city", meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core.
In ...
defended by
General Chassé in 1832, have totally vanished. Modern Antwerp's broad city-center boulevard (Italielei, Frankrijklei, Britselei and Amerikalei
[map will follow]) marks the position of the original (second) Spanish fortifications.
19th century
At the time of the establishment of Belgian independence, Antwerp was defended by the citadel and an enceinte around the city. In 1859, seventeen of the twenty-two fortresses constructed under
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
's supervision in 1815–1818 were dismantled and the old citadel and enceinte were removed. A new enceinte long was constructed, and the villages of
Berchem
Berchem () is a southern Districts of Antwerp, district of the municipality and city of Antwerp in the Flemish Region of Belgium. Berchem is located along the old ''Grote Steenweg'' (Dutch language, Dutch for 'Big Paved Road') that has connected ...
and
Borgerhout
Borgerhout () is the smallest district of Antwerp, Belgium. , the district houses 45,769 inhabitants on 3,93 km².
It was an independent municipality until January 1983. The postal area code for Borgerhout is 2140. Geography
Borgerhout is divided ...
, now boroughs of Antwerp, were absorbed within the city.
This enceinte is protected by a broad wet ditch, and in the
caponier
A caponier is a type of defensive structure in a fortification. Fire from this point could cover the ditch beyond the curtain wall to deter any attempt to storm the wall. The word originates from the French ', meaning "chicken coop" (a ''capon'' ...
s are the magazines and store chambers of the fortress. The enceinte has nineteen openings or gateways, but of these seven are not used by the public. As soon as the enceinte was finished, eight detached forts from from the enceinte were constructed. They begin in the north near
Wijnegem
Wijnegem () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality only comprises the town of Wijnegem proper. Wijnegem is one of the most expensive municipalities of the Flanders. In 2021, Wijnegem had a total population ...
and the zone of inundation, and terminate in the south at
Hoboken
Hoboken ( ; Unami: ') is a city in Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 60,417. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 58,69 ...
. In 1870 Fort
Merksem
Merksem (; former spelling: ''Merxem'') is a district of the municipality and city of Antwerp in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It has 44,808 inhabitants as of 2021.
History
The history of Merksem goes back to Gallo-Roman times. During that perio ...
and the redoubts of
Berendrecht
Berendrecht () is a neighbourhood and former village in Antwerp province in Belgium. Its name means " dike of the bear", according to the area's dialect, or "dike of a man called Bear", or "passage by the marsh". But ''drecht'' or ''tricht'' means ...
and
Oorderen were built for the defence of the area to be inundated north of Antwerp.
In the 1870s, the fortifications of Antwerp were deemed to be out of date, given the increased range and power of artillery and explosives. Antwerp was transformed into a fortified position by constructing an outer line of forts and batteries 6 to from the enceinte.
Literature
''De Stad Antwerpen van de romeinse tijd tot de 17de eeuw , Topografische studie rond het plan van Virgilius Bononiensis 1565''; Authors: Voet, Asaert, Soly, Verhulst, De Nave & Van Roey; 1978; Publisher: Gemeentekrediet van Belgie, Brussels.
References
{{coord missing, Belgium
Buildings and structures in Antwerp
History of Antwerp
Fortifications in Belgium