Antwerp Attractions

The Cathedral of Our Lady is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Antwerp, Belgium. Today's cathedral was started in 1352 and, although the first stage of construction was ended in 1521, has never been 'completed'. In Gothic style, its architects were Jan and Pieter Appelmans. It contains a number of significant works by the Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens, as well as paintings by artists such as Otto van Veen, Jacob de Backer and Marten de Vos. The cathedral is on the list of World Heritage Sites.

The Rubenshuis ("Rubens House") is the former home and studio of Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) in Antwerp. It is now a museum charting Rubens life and works. Rubens spent most of his lifetime in this house, and it was only sold after his death. The city bought it in 1937, and after an extensive restoration the Rubenshuis was opened to the public in 1946. Dozens of paintings and artworks by Rubens and his contemporaries were installed in the rooms, as well as period furniture. Paintings include his early Adam and Eve (c. 1600) and a self portrait made when he was about fifty. The Rubenianum, a centre dedicated to the study of Rubens, is in a building at the rear of the garden.

The Plantin-Moretus Museum is a museum in Antwerp, Belgium honouring the famous printers Christoffel Plantijn and Jan Moretus. It is located in their former residence and printing establishment, Plantin Press, at the Friday Market. The Plantin-Moretus Museum possesses an exceptional collection of typographical material. Not only does it house the two oldest surviving printing presses in the world and complete sets of dies and matrices, it also has an extensive library, a richly decorated interior and the entire archives of the Plantin business, which were inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme Register in 2001 in recognition of their historical significance. The Collection includes: a Bible in five languages: Biblia Polyglotta (1568-1573) Thesaurus Teutoniae Linguae a geographical book: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum made by Abraham Ortelius a boo...

The Antwerp Zoo is a zoo situated in the centre of Antwerp, Belgium, located right next to the Antwerpen-Centraal railway station. It is the oldest animal park in the country, and one of the oldest in the world, established on 21 July 1843. Together with its sister park Planckendael, Antwerp Zoo houses over 6,000 animals of about 950 species. They get nearly 1.5 million visitors each year and have over a 100,000 supporting members. Together with its sister park Planckendael, Antwerp Zoo houses over 6,000 animals of about 950 species. They get nearly 1.5 million visitors each year and have over a 100,000 supporting members. The most notable exhibits and species in the park include: Vriesland: King Penguin, Rockhoppers and Gentoo Penguins Sea Lion Theatre with Californian Sealions Recently renovated reptile house with may species of snakes, lizards, turtles &...

Aquatopia is a popular educational attraction in central Antwerp, Belgium. Aquatopia features a set of aquariums, along with recreations of other marine habitats, including swamps, rain forests, river deltas, and coral reefs. Aquatopia also includes a number of special exhibits covering sharks, nautilus, and mysteries of the deep. The multi-story attraction is located on Koningin Astridplein, adjacent to Antwerpen-Centraal railway station, and one block from the city's primary bus terminals at Franklin Rooseveltplatz.