Antwerp Things to Do Tips by KenBel

Wooden escalator deluxe Sint Anna pedestrian tunnel Review

A five minute walk south of Antwerp's Grote Markt you'll find the entrance to the Pedestrian tunnel. Rent a bike and go down the awesome wooden escalators to ride to the Schelde's West Bank ... the view of Antwerp's Skyline is breath-taking and going north you'll encounter Antwerp's very own beach of "St.Anneke" ... you can even take a ferry into the Antwerp harbour and ride back to the historical center !!

Address: t Zand/Sint Pietersvliet to leftbank

Bourla - Antwerp opera house turned theater Bourla Theater & lounge Review

The Bourla building was originally the Opera Building of Antwerp and was constructed very little time after Belgium's independence in 1830.

Until today, all original wooden mechanics above and beneath the stage are still used.

Originally, the roof was partly open, the rich were seated on the balconies (in a half circle, as most of the upperclass didn't go to the opera to see and listen to the opera, if not to watch the other upperclassers and who they were with) while the lowerclass had to stand in the middle (now there are chairs, before there weren't) and since the roof was open, their comfort depended greatly on the weather situation, as you can imagine! Also the center - lower - part of the public's area was used as trash can by the upperclassers ... Scenes that are hard to imagine when seeing the Bourla's interior nowadays.

Try contacting the Bourla using the email address below, they sometimes do guided visits ... I went on one once, and it was quite impressive !!! Or if you can go see a play here, I can very much recommend it!! I am a regular myself ...

The lounge bar/restaurant on the first floor is very beautifull, but also very pricy ... if your budget is limited, you'd better not have lunch or dinner here ...

Just outside the main entrance, there is a pedestrians street to the right with a few bars ... the bar called "Van Gogh" is where the actors from the "Toneelhuis", the theater company stationed in the Bourla Theater, go and have a drink after a night's performance ... Its cosy and dark atmosphere is ideal for a few late-night beers!!
For a breakfast, lunch or early dinner close to the Bourla theater, I would recommend you go to the Schuttershofstraat - the short pedestrian street leading away from the triangular plaza in front of the Theater will take you there, take a right and you'll see a place called 'Tiramisu' on your left ... Try the Banana Croque!!! Delicious!!

Address: Komedieplaats 18, 2000 Antwerpen

Directions: theatre district, at 2 minutes of the Vogeltjesmarkt (Bird's market)

Other Contact: %cginfo@toneelhuis.be

Phone: 03 224 88 44

Website: http://%cgwww.toneelhuis.be

Antwerp's own "skyscraper" Boerentoren, present KBC-toren Review

When the Boerentoren ("Farmer's Tower") was built, there were many discussions in city-hall between the governing socialists (together with the christian-democrats) and the liberal opposition, as the "Algemeene Bankvereeniging" (or General Banking Union", the offices of which was going to occupy more than half of the tower) was know to be firmly backed by the Boerenbond (Farmer's Union). This immediately explains the towers name. It is clear that criticism not only originated in esthetic or folkloric concerns. Especially the liberal press firmly criticized the construction of the tower, which would become the highest livingcomplex in Europe until the 1950's : Europe's first "skyscraper".

Originally the distribution of the Boerentoren or "Farmer's tower" also included appartments and shops. However, because of the economic recess and belated termination of construction, interest in the appartments faded away. Almost the complete building, constructed in Art-Deco style in 1930/31 would come to be in the hands of the Banker's Union that became the KB-tower (KredietBank) later on. Today a C has been added after a merger of the KB bank with a few smaller Belgian banks.

After the liberation of Antwerp in september 1944, the tower was hit by 50 grenades and a few months later by a German V-bomb. In the 1970's it burnt quite heavily. Suffice it to say that it has been renovated a few times.
The last time was less than ten years ago.

On the ground floor of the tower, the Bank organizes expositions the whole year through, mostly photographic.

Address: Schoenmarkt 35 2000 Antwerpen

Directions: Between the Meir and the Groenplaats

Phone: +32/03/2029011

The "Dawn Plaza" Dageraadplaats area Review

Translated in dutch this turns into the "Dageraadplaats", which is one of Antwerp's liveliest places ... also see my travelogues !!

Address: Dageraadplaats in Berchem

Directions: Follow the railway leading away from the Central Station and turn left at the second traffic lights ... you will pass by a Delhaize supermarket and a hotel ... turn right after the hotel ... the Dageraadplaats is straight ahead!!

Museums and Performances in multicolour Miscellaneous: maps, overview, collection of tips, history Review

In the southern part of the city of Antwerp lie the "Kaaien", two streets, the "Vlaamsekaai" or Flemish quai and the "Waalsekaai" or the Wallon quai, with a large square in between.

The square itself isn't all that interesting, were it not that this immense square was once water, like many streets in the historic centre (called "Rui"), where smaller boats could enter and sell their products to the passers-by.

Today this square is the home of the annual visit of Cirque du Soleil (usually in August), of the annual "Sinksefoor" a huge festival with fun rides and sweet food (about five weeks every year around May-June-July).

Even more interesting is what surrounds this square: bars, venues, museums, etc. and when there's nothing on the square, it's an ideal spot to park your car, cause it's still free, and there's a small playground for kids to stretch their legs after a long day of walking or a long ride into the city!!

Museums:
the Antwerp Museum of Contemporary Art (MHUKA), the Museum of Photography and the Filmmuseum, visit them all!!

Venues:
above all, the Zuiderspershuis. Here, the whole year round, you can attend all sorts of events related to arts and folklore from all over the world, such as dance and music performances, poetry readings, etc, etc. I went to a reading of poetry from Garcia Lorca accompanied by authentic flamenco-guitarmusic : A breathtaking experience!!
For events of more popular allure, there is the Zuiderkroon, which is not really my cup of tea, so there ain't much I can say about it.

Bars:
the Zuiderpershuis bar, Nick's cafe, Entrepot du Congo, etc, etc, too many to name them all. I like the Zuiderpershuis bar and the Entrepot du Congo for a coffee on the way home from the Filmmuseum!!

Phone: (reservations) +32 (0)3248 01 00

Website: http://www.zuiderpershuis.be/