Antwerp

Lore & Background

Antwerp's origins trace to a Gallo-Roman vicus, with archaeological finds from the mid-2nd to 3rd centuries. It was first named in the 4th century after settlement by Germanic Franks. The Merovingian Antwerp was evangelized by Saint Amand in the 7th century. Het Steen Castle, the city's oldest building, has Carolingian origins in the 9th century, possibly built after Viking incursions. The river Scheldt flows through the city, linking it to the North Sea via the Westerschelde estuary. Antwerp lies roughly north of Brussels and south of the Dutch border. The city is the capital and largest of Antwerp Province, the third-largest municipality in Belgium by area, and the country's most populous municipality. Its metropolitan area, with over 1.2 million people, is Belgium's second-largest after Brussels. The Port of Antwerp ranks among the world's biggest, second in Europe after Rotterdam and within the global top twenty. The city is also the global hub of the diamond trade. Antwerp hosted the Summer Olympics in 1920. The Stock Exchange, first built in 1531 and rebuilt in 1872, was the world's first purpose-built commodity exchange. The city's population is notably diverse, including about 180 nationalities; over half of residents in 2019 had at least one parent not a Belgian citizen at birth. A significant Haredi Jewish community resides here, one of only two such sizable populations in 21st-century Europe. Natives are nicknamed Sinjoren, derived from the Spanish or French terms for "lord," referencing the Spanish noblemen who ruled in the 17th century.

Reader's Guide

Antwerp’s rise to prominence was driven by the silting of the Zwin, which caused the decline of Bruges. As part of the Duchy of Brabant, the city’s population doubled between 1500 and 1569. Foreign trading houses relocated from Bruges to Antwerp, and by 1504 the Portuguese had established the city as a major shipping base, importing Asian spices and trading them for textiles and metal goods. The city’s trade expanded to include cloth from England, Italy, and Germany; wines from Germany, France, and Spain; salt from France; and wheat from the Baltic. Local skilled workers processed soap, fish, sugar, and especially cloth. Banks financed these activities, and the Stock Exchange, first built in 1531, was the world’s first purpose-built commodity exchange. The river Scheldt links Antwerp to the North Sea, and its port remains one of the world’s largest, ranking second in Europe. The city is also the global hub of the diamond trade. Culturally and economically, Antwerp has long been important in the Low Countries, particularly before and during the Spanish Fury of 1576 and the subsequent Dutch Revolt. Its population is highly diverse, with over 180 nationalities represented; as of 2019, more than half of residents had at least one parent who was not a Belgian citizen at birth. Antwerp is one of only two European cities, alongside London, with a substantial Haredi Jewish population in the 21st century. The city hosted the Summer Olympics in 1920.

Did You Know?

• The name Antwerp may derive from Germanic 'anda' (against) and 'werpen' (to throw), possibly referring to an alluvial deposit or mound.
• A folklore tradition attributes the name to a giant named Druon Antigoon, whose hand was cut off and thrown by the hero Silvius Brabo.