Discover Het Steen, a medieval castle in the heart of Antwerp!

Het Steen, literally translated from Dutch as "the stone", is the remains of an ancient fortified castle nestling on the right bank of the River Scheldt in Antwerp. Built between 1200 and 1225, what was then known as Antwerp Castle is a stone fortress (hence its name). It is now considered to be the city's oldest building, and has played a special role in every period through which the city has passed. After it was built, the castle was considered a fortress and its purpose was to defend and protect the town from invaders. Some time later, under the reign of Charles V, around 1520, the castle was completely transformed and renamed Heeren Steen (French for "stone lord"). Until 1827, the monument was used as a prison, while most of the castle was demolished in the 19th century during work to straighten the quays and widen the Scheldt river. It was at this time that the remaining part of the castle was named Het Steen, the stone. From 1952 until 2008, the Steen was home to the National Maritime Museum, with its impressive collections of ships, archives, nautical instruments and more. These collections are now housed at the MAS, Museum aan de Stroom. However, next to the Steen, authentic boats are on display in a maritime park, bearing witness to the remains of the area's industrial past.

The oldest preserved building in the city, it plays an important role in the city's history, from protective castle to prison to museum, and has been a landmark of Antwerp for centuries. A hotspot for tourists, you'll find activities to please the whole family. It's the ideal place to start your visit to this beautiful port city. In fact, Het Steen is the "Visitors' Centre" or, more clearly, a tourist office! Here you'll find all the information you need for your stay. You'll also find a 'souvenir' shop where you can buy local products and lots of gadgets.

However, the castle's star attraction is a new one, called The Antwerp Story. The castle, transformed into a museum for the occasion, offers you a part of Antwerp's history in each of its rooms, in a surprising and original way. Holograms, interactive tours, 360° simulations, models, projections - all your senses will be engaged to help you discover the city's history in a more entertaining way. Take a journey through history and centuries to discover Antwerp through the ages. You'll go through 11 rooms in a highly entertaining way, making you an expert on the city. It's sure to interest children, who are sometimes reluctant to visit a museum. It's a fascinating attraction to arouse the curiosity of the whole family. What's more, you'll find all the information you need to make the most of your visit to the city. Anecdotes, hidden secrets, buildings not to be missed, explanatory videos - it's a real open book on Antwerp.

Nestling on the banks of the Scheldt, which has been one of the city's major assets for centuries, this wide river enables huge cargo ships to be transported, even though the city has no coastline. However, the Scheldt is also home to some fine tourist cruises that call at the Het Steen quay. Passengers disembark from the huge boats at the foot of the castle to visit the historic heart of the city. For a more modest experience on the waters of the Scheldt, you can opt for the Waterbus, a real boat-bus that can take you from one end of the city to the other on the river.

But the highlight of any visit to Het Steen is its panoramic roof terrace, which offers a breathtaking view of the city. Fun fact: under the entrance arch you can see the statue of Semini, the Scandinavian god of youth and fertility. He once possessed a huge phallus, but was castrated in 1587 by the local clergy, who found the statue inappropriate.