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This North Sea port flourished in the 16th century when Antwerp was Europe’s richest financial center, but the city’s dominance was cut short by the Reformation’s brutal wars. Antwerp retains a rich heritage, however, courtesy of its Renaissance architecture core and the art of Peter Paul Rubens, the baroque master painter who lived here in the early 17th century (his former mansion, the Rubenshuis, is open as a museum). Several of Rubens’ largest and most noted works hang in the Cathedral of our Lady, one of Northern Europe’s largest churches and a model of Gothic architecture that towers above the Grote Markt, a charming market square bordered by colorful Medieval guild houses.
Antwerp is known for its diamonds and artists. Located on the Scheldt River, 55 miles from the North Sea, it is Europe's second-largest port and a major center of finance, industry and, of course, the diamond trade. More carats are cut and traded in Antwerp than in any other city, and the diamond industry employs about 18,000 people. Antwerp also has a history of producing artists (Rubens, Van Dyck, Jordaens, the Brueghels and others). Europe's chief commercial city by the mid-16th century, Antwerp declined after religious troubles with Spain brought war. The Spanish armies of Philip II massacred 7,000 citizens and burned 800 houses in 1576. The city was also heavily damaged by the Germans in World War I and World War II, but many historic buildings survive. Antwerp (pop. 500,000) is the largest Flemish-speaking city in Belgium, and its history is reflected in its layout. The city is divided into the old city, which lies within 16th-century walls; the 19th-century city, which stretches beyond the old section; and the post-World War II section. Dominating the port is the Steen, a medieval castle dating to the ninth century that now houses the National Maritime Museum. The home and studio Rubens occupied until his death in 1640 have been restored. Rubens' tomb is in the Church of St. James, which contains many works of art. Other churches of note are the Cathedral of Antwerp, which has a 123-meter tower, and the baroque church of St. Carolus Borromeus, the facade of which is believed to have been designed by Rubens. Among other landmarks are the Town Hall, an example of Flemish renaissance architecture; the Royal Museum of Arts; and the Museum of Plantin-Moretus, which consists of 34 rooms in the famous printer Plantin's house.