Antwerp Dutch : Antwerpen , French : Anvers is the capital of the eponymous province in the region of Flanders in Belgium. At a population of just over half a million people , it is the second largest city in Belgium after Brussels , and it has a major European port.
Due to its long and culturally rich history, the city of Antwerp houses many interesting historical buildings from different historical periods, and many interesting museums. Antwerp has grown to become a trendy city, attracting many Flemish and foreign artists, writers, intellectuals, and actors.
This is reflected in the city's many trendy bars and shops. Antwerp is a city with many faces. While it may not be as historically preserved as Bruges or Ghent , it is a very dynamic city, offering a perfect mix of history and present-day modern life. The friendliness of the people of Antwerp and their innate penchant for good food and good living, combined with their low stress lifestyle, makes it a desirable and relaxing place to visit.
The origins of the name of Antwerp comes from aan de werpe , which is Dutch for "at the throw", referring to where the river throws its sand. The name also has a funny anecdote saying it comes from Hand werpen , which translated is "throwing hands".
In the city flag, the castle "het Steen" and the hand of Antwerp are shown. In the 16th century, Antwerp was one of the most important financial centres of the world, where traders from all over Europe and Asia sold and bought their goods. After the siege of Antwerp in by the Spanish, this role as a financial centre was taken over by Amsterdam. Nevertheless, since the 19th century and especially the 20th century, Antwerp has made a serious economic comeback.
