- Type
- Castle
- Origins
- 1200 · 12th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Visiting
- probably – Wikidata lists it as a museum or gives tickets, opening hours or visitor numbers; check before you go
- Coordinates
- 51.2228°, 4.3975°
History
The surviving building was put up in 1200–1225 as the gatehouse of a larger castle of the Dukes of Brabant, standing on the Scheldt on the site of Antwerp's earliest settlement. From 1303 the castle served as a prison and kept that role until 1827. Around 1520, under Emperor Charles V, it was remodelled in Renaissance style and from then on was called Het Steen, "the stone". In the 19th century, when the quays were straightened, most of the old fortress was demolished along with the surrounding lanes. From 1890 it housed an archaeological museum and later a maritime museum, which moved to the new MAS in 2011; in 2021 the castle reopened as a visitor centre.
What to see
The castle stands on the Scheldt quay a few minutes from the Grote Markt, with a concrete extension from 2021 housing the tourist information office. Inside, a multimedia exhibition tells the story of Antwerp and its port. A statue of the giant Lange Wapper stands by the entrance, and the terrace looks out over the river and the quays.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q1014126
Popularity: articles about this site in 18 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).