Antwerp in Stone and Bronze – Walking Tour of Antwerp's Best-Known Statues and Monuments

Antwerp's Soul in Stone and Bronze - A poetic walking tour

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OVERVIEW

Step into a city where history doesn’t just live in books – it stands tall on street corners, looks down from pedestals and quietly watches from shaded parks. “Antwerp’s Soul in Stone and Bronze” is a four-hour walking tour that takes you on a fascinating journey through the city’s remarkable open-air gallery of statues and monuments. From celebrated artists and kings to literary figures, local legends and forgotten dreamers, Antwerp’s public sculptures are far more than decoration – they are storytellers in bronze and stone.

Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a curious traveller or an art lover, this tour offers a poetic and powerful way to discover the soul of Antwerp. Along the way, you will encounter more than 20 remarkable statues and monuments, hear fascinating stories and local legends, and enjoy an optional cosy café break to catch your breath and reflect. This is more than a walk – it is a conversation with Antwerp’s history, art and memory.

DURATION

4 HOURS

BOOKING DAYS

EVERY DAY, STARTING BETWEEN 8 AM & 2 PM

LANGUAGE

ENGLISH

HIGHLIGHTS

More information

ITINERARY

We begin our tale in the peaceful shade of David Teniers, gazing across the ages. A few paces on, we meet Anthony van Dyck, dignified and elegant, his presence a tribute to Antwerp’s golden brushstrokes. Beneath the sky, the Vissende Arend, the fishing eagle, spreads its wings in frozen flight, a quiet symbol of power and patience.

We pause at the monumental Hand on the Meir, created by French sculptor Henri de Miller. Although the sculpture was not originally designed for Antwerp’s famous Brabo legend, its striking form has become a playful companion to the city’s centuries-old association with the hand and the legendary story of “hand-werpen”.

From here, our path leads towards the peaceful sanctuary of Den Botaniek, where sculpture, history and greenery come together. Among the garden’s treasures stands the statue of Peeter van Coudenberghe, the 16th-century apothecary-botanist whose medicinal garden laid the foundations for Antwerp’s botanical tradition. Even the monument itself has a remarkable history, having survived destruction during the First World War and later been carefully restored. Our journey winds onward through time. We salute the regal poise of King Leopold I, first king of the Belgians, and greet the contemplative figure of Gerard Walschap, his pen echoing the voice of postwar Belgium.

A few graceful steps farther, we reach the monumental Schelde Vrij on Marnixplaats. Erected in 1883, it commemorates the freeing of the Scheldt in 1863 – a decisive moment for Antwerp’s commercial revival. Rising dramatically above the square, its allegorical figures of river, trade and freedom transform an important chapter of the city’s economic history into monumental sculpture.

Then, we arrive at a sculptural sanctuary, the elegant circle of statues around the Royal Museum of Fine Arts (KMSKA). Here, amidst artistic giants cast in bronze and stone, we’ll take a well-deserved optional break at a nearby cafe. If you wish, enjoy a coffee or some Belgian chocolate while we pause before continuing our journey.

Refreshed, we continue towards the monument to Peter the Great, commemorating the Russian tsar’s visit to Antwerp in 1717. The modern bronze monument, unveiled in 1998, adds an unexpected international chapter to a route otherwise dominated by Antwerp artists, writers and legends.

Soon afterwards, we meet Netje, the moving literary figure from Lode Zielens’s famous 1932 novel Moeder, waarom leven wij? Her modest monument near Saint Andrew’s Church gives a voice to ordinary working-class Antwerp and provides a touching contrast to the kings, painters and monumental heroes encountered elsewhere on the tour.

Our footsteps draw us towards the spirited Theodoor van Rijswijck, Antwerp’s 19th-century people’s poet and an important voice of the early Flemish Movement.

Continuing towards the historic centre, we encounter Peter Paul Rubens standing proudly on Groenplaats, one of Antwerp’s most recognisable monuments to its great Baroque master. Nearby, beside the Cathedral of Our Lady, the remarkable Pieter Appelmans Monument pays tribute not to kings or nobles, but to the master builders and stonemasons whose skill created one of Antwerp’s greatest architectural treasures.

And then, like a dramatic climax, the iconic Brabo Fountain reveals itself on the Grote Markt – hand raised, water dancing, legend eternal. Here we uncover the famous story of Silvius Brabo and the giant Antigoon, and the colourful folk explanation connecting Antwerp’s name with “hand-werpen”, or “throwing a hand”.

At last, the majestic walls of Het Steen welcome us as the Scheldt shimmers nearby. Here we encounter Lange Wapper, one of Antwerp’s most mischievous legendary figures, towering above two terrified drinkers in Albert Poels’s playful bronze sculpture. Folklore tells of a shape-shifting giant who wandered Antwerp’s streets at night, frightening drunkards, troublesome children and unsuspecting passers-by. It is a wonderfully theatrical final encounter between sculpture, legend and the city itself.

Throughout the walk, you will encounter not only the principal monuments described above but also lesser-known gems – a bust hidden among greenery, a figure tucked against a historic façade or a commemorative plaque with another story waiting to be discovered.

By the end, Antwerp’s stone and bronze will no longer feel silent – each monument will have revealed a voice, a memory and a story of its own.

PRICE

The price for this private tour depends on the size of your group. Prices are per group, not per person. The price includes my private tour guiding services for 4 hours, based on the itinerary described above. Food and drinks during the optional café break are not included.

The price per group of up to 4 people: € 150 per group
The price per group of 5 to 8 people: € 170 per group
The price per group of 9 to 15 people: € 190 per group
For groups of more than 15 people, please send me an email or complete the booking form, indicating the exact number of people in your group.

Please note: Each additional hour is charged at €40 per group for groups of up to 15 people. For groups of more than 15 people, extended-tour pricing is quoted individually.

MEETING POINT

The suggested meeting point for this private tour is in front of the statue of David Teniers on Teniersplaats, close to the beginning of the Meir.

View the exact suggested meeting point on Google maps.

However, you may also choose another meeting location based on your requirements and preferences.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Antwerp’s Soul in Stone and Bronze has a standard duration of 4 hours. Additional hours can be arranged in advance, subject to availability.
The itinerary may be slightly adjusted according to the walking pace of the group, temporary restoration or relocation of individual monuments, public events, roadworks or other circumstances.
This is a relatively intensive walking tour covering a substantial part of central Antwerp. Comfortable walking shoes are strongly recommended.
The optional café break and any food or drinks ordered during the tour are not included in the guiding fee.
The best way to book your tour is by using the booking form on my website. I will carefully check your request and confirm availability within 24 hours. You may also send your booking request by telephone at +32 487 670 312, via WhatsApp or Viber, or by email at info@toursinbelgium.com
If you have special requirements, please let me know in advance.
If you would like to include a museum or other interior attraction, please let me know in advance. Depending on the attraction chosen, additional tour time may be required.
Upon confirmation, I will send you a booking reference number by email together with payment instructions.
Please check the weather conditions before the tour and dress accordingly.

SEND YOUR INQUIRY

This inquiry form is for the Private Tour of Antwerp’s Soul in Stone and Bronze.

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