UNESCO World Heritage Site in Antwerp

Art & Culture

We all know that Antwerp is a beautiful city with a rich history. But did you also know that no less than 4 buildings in Antwerp have been recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites?

The first pearl: Cathedral of Our Lady

As the largest Gothic structure in the Low Countries, the Cathedral of Our Lady is definitely worth a visit. It is a true monument that every Antwerp citizen is proud of. Since 1999, this cathedral has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the "Belfries in Belgium and France" site.

The cathedral tower that used to function as a watchtower is hugely impressive with its height of 123 meters.

You can visit the cathedral every day. Tourists pay 12 euros per person for this. You can also take part in organized tours.

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Pearl two: Antwerp City Hall

An imposing building, that's how you can call Antwerp's city hall. It was built in the golden sixteenth century, when Antwerp was a very important international trade metropolis.

The city hall has a beautiful Renaissance facade full of details that refer to Antwerp's past, such as the Brabant Lion.

Above the coats of arms you can also see a niche with the statue of Mary, the city's patroness. She stands here above the statues of Justice and Prudentia, the symbols of justice and prudence. Speaking for a city government, in other words!

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Number three: Museum Plantin-Moretus

To be the first museum to be admitted to the UNESCO World Heritage List: the Plantin-Moretus Museum has succeeded magnificently! This is a very well preserved historic printing house from the sixteenth century. With its unique printing equipment such as the two oldest printing presses in the world, this building is definitely worth a visit!

When you step inside this architectural gem, you will immediately travel through time. You will learn about book printing and the Plantin-Moretus publishing family and discover portraits of Rubens, see gold leather on the walls and enter an extensive library. And the courtyard is also well worth a visit!

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Le Corbusier: House Guiette as the fourth jewel

The House Guiette is the only preserved structure on Belgian soil by the famous architect Le Corbusier. Its design is based on Citronhan, the type of house Le Corbusier had conceived in the early 1920s. You recognize this type by its rectangular shape and austerity, large glass windows and white exterior facades.

The inside, on the other hand, is enormously colorful. In most rooms, every wall has a different color.

Le Corbusier was known for his austere architecture in which the shape of a building was adapted to its function. He also liked to use new techniques, such as reinforced concrete at the time. In this way, he greatly influenced the modern architecture of the 20th century.

More information or visits

 

Discover the gems on foot or by bicycle

Are you a fan of Unesco World Heritage? Or are you triggered and want to see these gems with your own eyes? We list the addresses so you can easily find them all.

TIP: with antwerpbike.be you can rent a bike and follow the UNESCO route. This way you can easily discover these beautiful buildings by bike. Enjoy!

Discover Antwerp

Are you curious about other Antwerp gems you should definitely discover? Ask us, we are happy to help you!

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