Art, History, and Antwerp
Then, I took a train from Amsterdam to Antwerp, Belgium, a border city. I was not disappointed.
First, there’s the Antwerp main station, one of the most unique in Europe, adorned with over twenty different kinds of stone and soaring, arched windows. The sunlight flooded the station, a welcome sight in a country with a disproportionate amount of rainfall.
My primary destination in Antwerp was the Cathedral of Our Lady, built in 1521. The belfry of the cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the place contained more triptychs than I have ever seen, including several famous paintings by Rubens like his legendary works Elevation of the Cross and Descent from the Cross. I was delighted to also see his impressive painting of the Lord’s Resurrection in a small side chapel as well. (While most of the Cathedrals I have visited in Europe are free to enter, this one charged a nominal admission fee, but it was well worth the price.)
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