Audio Guide: Antwerp Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Antwerp

While living in Antwerp, painter Peter Paul Rubens established a large workshop that supplied paintings to patrons across Europe. It was here that he created the powerful compositions that came to define the Baroque style.

Antwerp's origins date back to the early Middle Ages, when a small settlement developed around a fortified outpost controlling access to the Scheldt River. By the 10th century, Antwerp had become part of the Holy Roman Empire, positioned as a strategic trading point between inland Europe and the North Sea.

The city’s name is commonly linked to a well-known local legend. According to tradition, a giant named Druon Antigoon demanded tolls from ships passing along the river, cutting off the hands of those who refused. One day a Roman soldier named Silvius Brabo arrived. He refused to pay the toll and challenged Antigoon to a fight. Brabo defeated the giant, cut off his hand, and threw it into the Scheldt River, mirroring the Antigoon's own punishment. From this story comes the Dutch phrase hand werpen, meaning “to throw a hand.” The phrase is believed to have evolved into the name “Antwerpen.”

Antwerp’s true rise came during the 15th and 16th centuries. After the decline of Bruges, merchants from across the continent moved their operations to Antwerp. Goods such as spices, textiles, and precious metals passed through its port, with banking and printing also flourishing. The city also became a centre of art and culture, attracting figures such as Peter Paul Rubens.

Prosperity was disrupted in the late 16th century during the Eighty Years’ War. In 1585, Antwerp fell to Spanish forces, leading to a mass exodus of Protestant merchants and artisans to the north. The closure of the Scheldt River to international trade further weakened the city’s economy.

Antwerp’s recovery began in the 19th century, particularly after Belgium gained independence in 1830. The reopening and modernization of the port transformed the city once again into a major economic centre.

Walking through Antwerp’s historic centre, visitors encounter a mix of medieval streets, Renaissance guild houses, and lively squares centred around the Great Market Square. The skyline is dominated by the Cathedral of Our Lady, while nearby lanes are lined with cafés, chocolate shops, and boutiques. Historic façades sit alongside contemporary design stores, and the rhythm of the city shifts between quiet corners and busy pedestrian streets filled with locals and visitors.

Antwerp is still a place where influences meet and circulate, much like the city that shaped Rubens’ work. As you walk its streets, you follow the same currents of exchange that once carried his art across Europe, now woven into the city’s daily rhythm.