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9 must-see spots in Antwerp , Belgium
By Riselle Celestina
Antwerp . The mere mention of this Belgian city ’ s name fills me with excitement . I am a true island girl and the Caribbean will always be home but L ’ Anvers is the only place in Europe that has managed to capture a piece of my heart .
The bigger , more beautiful ( in my opinion ) sister of Brussels gets its name from the Dutch words “ Hand Werpen ” which translates to hand throwing . I know , you ’ re probably asking yourself why a city would be called after hand throwing . As the folklore story of the city goes , there once was a giant called Antigoon that managed who and what could access the river Scheldt which runs through the city and even imposed a toll for boats men wanting to travel up the river . Those who did not pay got their hand cut off . According to the story , a young boy fought the giant , cut off its hand and threw it in the river . The statue depicting this story proudly stands on the Grote Markt or main square in the city center .
1 . St . James Church or Sint Jacobskerk
This church is built on the site of a hostel for pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela . The interior is absolutely breathtaking and whether you are religious or not , you will find yourself dwelling around the many historical pieces inside this church , including many private burial chapels . Antwerp ’ s famous painter , Rubens , got married in this church and was buried here as well . His private grave took 4 years to complete .
Antwerp is the most populated city in Belgium and yet it feels small . A walk in the city center will leave you in awe of its architectural beauty and impressive churches and cathedrals , yet what makes this city famous is its port which is the second biggest in Europe , and its diamond trade .
There is much to see , admire and learn in Antwerp . These are just 10 of my favourites Must- Sees .
Let ’ s start with the obvious : the churches . One cannot stroll through the city without seeing a historic church here and there . The cathedral of Our Lady ’ s tower is what most use as orientation to find their way around . The following are 3 of my favorite churches to visit .
St . James Church