Discover Antwerp Central Station, a historic monument

In the heart of the city, it was on Place Reine Astrid that this building was erected, bearing witness to the folie de grandeur of the era. Over time, the station has blended seamlessly into the urban landscape. Some would say that this station can be visited like a museum dedicated to the discovery of Art Nouveau in Belgium. An imposing lady of stone, metal, glass and rich ornamentation, the central station was inaugurated in 1905 and only renovated in 2009 to regain its magnificent lustre, which stands out as a tourist attraction in its own right.

Considered to be one of the most sumptuous monuments in the flat country, Antwerp Central Station stands out worldwide for its particular beauty. It was opened on 11 August 1905, although construction work had begun 10 years earlier. Despite its splendour, there was no inauguration ceremony. The city has several stations, but this one is the main one as it also handles goods trains. It is for this reason that it is called "Antwerp-central". The terminus was built and designed by the famous Belgian architect Louis de la Censerie in a rather eclectic style, largely inspired by Lucerne station in Switzerland. When you arrive at the station by train, you'll be amazed by the structure covering the tracks. At 185 metres long and 44 metres high, it stands out for its materials, glass and metal, all designed by engineer Clément van Bogaert. The viaduct over the elevated tracks leading to the station was designed by the great Antwerp architect Jan van Asperen. You will notice that this station is the result of a collaboration between a number of renowned artists and engineers from the late 19th century in Belgium. This close partnership makes Antwerp Central Station one of the finest examples of railway architecture in the world.

Opting for accommodation in the city centre gives you the chance to take full advantage of its tourist attractions, its many restaurants and to wander around the city at your leisure.

The end of the 19th century was largely marked by the emergence of an artistic movement, Art Nouveau, based on the aesthetics of curved lines. In Belgium, this trend began with Victor Horta, who made a name for himself with his private mansions, which were snapped up by the Brussels upper middle classes. It was in this spirit that the beautiful station in the centre of Antwerp was designed and built. Like the most beautiful stations in the world, such as New York's Grand Central Terminal, Antwerp Central is a place to visit in its own right, as well as being a place of transit. Serving Thalys trains from Paris and Amsterdam, this historic and majestic building is adorned with beautiful jagged domes and skylight turrets. The central hall is over 75 metres high and decorated with around twenty different types of marble. There are also Doric, Ionic, Corinthian and Tuscan columns. The central hall is therefore rather Baroque in style.

Surrounded by the zoo and the diamond district, which has earned the city the nickname "the city of glittering stones", a stroll around and a visit to the Central Station is a must when visiting Antwerp. It could even be the starting point for your stay in Antwerp. The station, which can accommodate almost 200,000 visitors a day, is served by trains from Brussels. From the capital, it takes around 45 minutes to reach the eclectic city of Antwerp. There are around 71 trains a day making the journey (including 19 an hour at peak times). So there's no excuse for missing out on the chance to discover Antwerp and the surrounding area. In fact, whether you spend 1 day or a weekend in Antwerp, the journey between the two cities is so quick that you're almost obliged, during your visit to Belgium, to take a stroll through some of Flanders' trendiest streets.