Hello Scene Walker, welcome to the last scene filmed in Belgium.
During today’s walk we will explore a bit of Antwerp’s city centre.
I had hoped for sunshine, but unfortunately we have to make do with cloudy conditions.
What’s even worse is that i had to stop recording because of an incoming rain cloud.
Still, i’m glad i was able to film at least a little bit of Antwerp.
With more than 1.2 million inhabitants, Antwerp is the second largest metropolitan region after Brussels.
Many cities in Belgium have a historic past and Antwerp is no exception.
Antwerp was first given a name in the 4th century (Gallo-Roman period), when Germanic Franks settled in the area.
The oldest building still visible is the castle “Het Steen”, built in the 9th century to defend against Viking raids.
In the year 980, Antwerp became a margriate, awarded by the German Emperor Otto II.
Until the 16th century, the nearby city of Bruges was the most powerful trading city.
Due to the silting up of the Zwin (closure of the North Sea), Bruges went through a period of decline. (Walking in Bruges)
Foreign merchant houses were transferred from Bruges to Antwerp.
During the Age of Discovery, Atlantic overseas trade routes were discovered.
The Portuguese and Spanish established Antwerp as one of their most important shipping bases.
The port of Antwerp retained its importance and grew into one of the largest ports in the world.
Antwerp became the largest trader in rough diamonds and is often called the Diamond City.
In 1924, for example, Antwerp had more than 13,000 diamond workers.
The port of Antwerp was also home to the Red Star Line, founded in 1871 and had a transport line to the cities of New York and Philadelphia.
Antwerp hosted the 1920 Summer Olympics.
In recent years, the city has invested in modernization and rebranding as a fashion center.
And with this video i conclude my visit to Belgium, the next time we meet it will be somewhere in Finland.
Thanks for watching.
~Sevy

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro scenes
02:00 Grand Market
05:08 Brabo Fountain and City Hall
12:19 Cathedral of Our Lady (1352 – 1521)
13:29 Old Corn Market historic center
17:01 Groenplaats (Green Square)
18:05 Statue of Pieter Paul Rubens (1843)
27:47 Nello & Patrasche sculpture (A Dog of Flanders)
29:17 Grand Market
34:25 16th century Guild Houses
44:03 St. Charles Borromeo Church (1621)