| Groenplaats (Green square) tips and photos posted by real travelers and Antwerp locals. • 46 Photos
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 by Imbi
The Groenplaats or Green Place is the main square of Antwerp. It used to be the central cemetery during the rule of Austrian but later on it was converted into a square. There are large numbers of cafes could be find around that square, which are popular in tourists as well as in locals.
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 Rubens by benidormoneLeave a Comment
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 by Imbi
Peter Paul Rubens was born in Germany but his family moved to Antwerp and moved back to Germany and came back aging to Antwerp. Peter Paul Rubens is believed to be the first one to introduce the modernization of Baroque. He worked for kings, Mayors and rich people during his era.
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 Rubens statue in Groenplaats –
The Green Square by Diana75, 2 more photos
In the middle of Groenplaats is the statue of Rubens, made in 1843 by the sculptor Geefs.
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 Acquantaincies on Groenplaats by Norali
Tourists and locals alike, youngsters and elderly people use to go there, to watch, to sip beer, to chat, to listen to concerts.
And to take pictures, for keeping memories of trips and moments in this marvellous city. Bring as many rolls as you can, your zoom since buildings, towers are worth the shoot. Hmmm.. the lacework in stone of Onze Lieve Vrouw cathedral tower. Impressive!! Leave a Comment
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 Unusual Hilton and
Boerentoeren.. by Norali
The Groenplaats really epitomizes this feature.
The Gothic tower of Onze Lieve Vrouw Cathedral adjoins with Hilton hotel' s building as well as with a 20th century building: "Boerentoren".
The Hilton Hotel dominates the right side of the square with its late 19th century imposing building. It used to be the 'Grand Bazar', one of the leading Belgian department stores. With a classified façade. I think it is not so common to see a Hilton hotel in such building.
This tower is the HQs of Kredietbank, one of most important Belgian banks. Well, the Boerentoren is not exactly on the square but you can't miss it while taking a picture of Hilton building.
It was built in 1930 in art deco style. It is of 97 m high and is considered by most as the then first 'skyscraper' in Europe. Antwerpians call it the 'Boerentoren' (: farmers tower) since farmers made the bulk of Kredietbank clientèle in the first half of the 20th century.
Personnally, I don't like that much the Boerentoeren. I heard that, for Antwerpians, it seems to be the result of some mental aberration in the 30s. It is one of rare skyscrapers in Antwerp and locals appreciate the situation like that! Leave a Comment
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 Intruder by Norali
This represents workers on works site. Enlarge the pic. See? One of the "people" is an intruder.
I was told that you can see that from the size of the statues. Only the guy who sits looks of greater size. Indeed, yes! He is a mime as the others characters are statues of reduced scale. Voilà!
At the very moment we took this photo, I could spot the intruder, not because of his size but because of his "activity". Everyone seems busy working hard and he is just there, doing nothing, with a newspaper in his hands.. seemingly not even busy reading it.
You are VTed lazy guy!
Apart from that, the set was built for another reason I don't remember. Will update this later... Leave a Comment
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 Groenplaats: Rubens at front,
trees, OLV at back.. by Norali
Groenplaats means Green Square. It is a car-free place. Though in the past, it used to be a parking lot. Lately, an underground parking has been built and Groenplaats recovered its charm of good old times.
The place has known several functions. Dominated by Onze Lieve Vrouw cathedral, it even housed the cemetery of the cathedral in medieval times.
I also read that Groenplaats had different names, depending on ruling country. In Napoleon time, it was baptized “Place Bonaparte” (of course!). Besides, Napoleon is reported to have it rearranged by planting tile trees... hence the then future name of "Groenplaats"? No, I think that it is more due to its function of cemetary place in murky depth of times...
So what on there?
As I said earlier, Onze Lieve Vrouw cathedral... trees... pubs with terraces... the Hilton hotel... and a statue of famous painter Peter Paul Rubens.
On spring and summer, terraces are packed with both locals and tourists, sipping beer, watching passers-by, local fauna.
In the middle of the Groenplaats is the statue of Rubens, the famous painter. It was made in 1840 by sculptor Willem Geefs. I read it was to commemorate 200th anniversary of the death of Rubens.
The Hilton hotel has a classified façade and a majestic dome. The building used to house the old department store Grand Bazar who had to close its doors in July 1990.
Local fauna... The Groenplaats has always been, especially in summer, the place to chat. Punks are lying at the foot of the Rubens statue while the elderly, sitting on the new benches discuss. Leave a Comment
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 Rubens statue by speed4turtles
Deze meester van de Vlaamse Barok, hofschilder van de Hertog van Mantua en van de aartshertogen Albrecht en Isabella, liet een grote culturele erfenis achter.
Om de wereld van het 17de-eeuwse Antwerpen te leren kennen, kan je het Rubenshuis bezoeken. In het residentiële paleis komen de tijd en het werk van Rubens tot leven in authentiek meubilair en kunstvoorwerpen en in het bijzonder in de vele schilderijen.
The Groenplaats or 'Green Place', one of Antwerp's most prominent squares is located right in the heart of the city's historic district. Not as green as its name suggests, the Groenplaats is a square bordered mainly by cafés. The café terraces are very popular with both tourists and locals and are a great place to try some of the many spe-cialty beers.
Until the 18th century, the Groenplaats was Antwerp's central cemetery. During the Austrian occupation, emperor Joseph II abolished cemeteries inside the city walls, so it was converted into a square. In 1843 a large crucifix in the middle of the square was replaced by a statue of Antwerp's famous painter P.P. Rubens.
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 GREEN SQUARE, RUBENS STATUE
AND CATHEDRAL by matcrazy1
There was a the statue of the most famous Antwerpian Peter Paul Rubens - famous painter whose four masterpieces I was glad to see inside the cathedral. The statue was put on the square in 1840 that was 200 years after his death.
The square, full of cafes with terraces outside, was a popular meeting place both for locals and for visitors (best place to watch people drinking Belgian beer). And without any doubt the square with good view to the cathedral was the most common place to take pictures in Antwerp. Add many (expensive! that is for rich or window-shopping lovers :-) shops/stores around.
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