The Grote Markt ("Great Market Square") of

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,

is a

town square A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true square, geometric square, used for community gathe ...

situated in the heart of the old city quarter. It is filled with an extravagant city hall, numerous

guildhall A guildhall, also known as a "guild hall" or "guild house", is a historical building originally used for tax collecting by municipalities or merchants in Great Britain and the Low Countries. These buildings commonly become town halls and in som ...

s with elaborate façades, the majority of which are reconstructions in the 19th and early 20th century, approximating paintings of the square by Flemish artists. A few of the guildhall façades, such as that of Sint-Joris's are intact originals entirely dating back to the 16th century. The square also has many restaurants and cafés, and it lies within walking distance of the

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 ...

river. The Grote Markt hosts a

Christmas market A Christmas market, also known as ''Christkindlmarkt'' (literally: ''Christ Child Market'', but the term "Christkind" usually refers to an angel-like "spirit of Christmas" rather than literally the Christ Child), ''Christkindlesmarkt'', ''Chris ...

and

ice rink An ice rink (or ice skating rink) is a frozen body of water and/or an artificial sheet of ice created using hardened chemicals where people can ice skate or play winter sports. Ice rinks are also used for exhibitions, contests and ice shows. The ...

every winter.

Attractions

Attractions include: *

Antwerp City Hall The City Hall (Dutch: ) of Antwerp, Belgium, stands on the western side of Antwerp's Grote Markt ("Great Market Square"). Erected between 1561 and 1565 after designs made by Cornelis Floris de Vriendt and several other architects and artists, th ...

, built on the foundation of a precursor * The Guildhalls of Sint-Joris at Grote Markt 7 and de Valk at Grote Markt 11 *

Brabo Fountain The Brabo Fountain ( nl, Brabofontein) is located in the Grote Markt (main square) of Antwerp, Belgium, in front of the City Hall. The ceremonial inauguration of the sculpture took place in 1887. Jef Lambeaux realized the set of the bronze f ...

, created by

Jef Lambeaux Jef Lambeaux or Josef Lambeaux (14 January 18525 June 1908) was a Belgian sculptor. His best known work is ''Temple of Human Passions'', a colossal marble bas-relief. Early life and education Lambeaux was born in Antwerp, Belgium, on 14 January ...

, depicting a city legend *

Antwerp Jazz Club (AJC) The Antwerp Jazz Club ( nl, Antwerpse Jazzclub, abbreviated AJC) is an association in Antwerp, Belgium, founded in 1938 by Hans Philippi, which delivers weekly lectures about and presentations of jazz music, at no cost, open to the public at lar ...

Gallery

Views of the Grote Markt: file:Antwerpen, stadhuis foto1 2011-10-16 11.28.JPG,

with statue of Silvius Brabo file:Antwerp - by Craig Wyzik.jpg, City Hall with Brabo ''(close-up)'' file:Gildehuizen_Antwerpen.jpg,

Guildhall A guildhall, also known as a "guild hall" or "guild house", is a historical building originally used for tax collecting by municipalities or merchants in Great Britain and the Low Countries. These buildings commonly become town halls and in som ...

s file:Antwerpen, Grote Markt 17 en 19 foto2 RM4040+4041 2011-10-16 11.33.jpg, Monumental buildings file:Grote Markt Antwerp with guild houses.jpg, Grote Markt with guild houses

References

External links

Guildhall pictures
{{coord, 51.2212, 4.3998, format=dms, type:landmark_region:BE, display=title Buildings and structures in Antwerp Tourist attractions in Antwerp Squares in Belgium Streets in Antwerp