City Hall

Antwerp City Hall, a Renaissance masterpiece on the Grand-Place

On the Grand-Place, Antwerp City Hall imposes itself by its beauty and its scale. This Renaissance masterpiece, a UNESCO World Heritage site, testifies to the city's power at its golden age. The Antwerp audio-guided tour stops here to admire one of the finest civic buildings of the former Low Countries.

A work by Cornelis Floris de Vriendt

Designed in the mid-sixteenth century by the architect Cornelis Floris de Vriendt, the town hall was completed in 1565. Its architecture marries the influence of the Italian Renaissance and the Flemish tradition, in a composition of great elegance. It embodies the prosperity of Antwerp, then one of the greatest ports and commercial centres in Europe, and is today a World Heritage site.

What to see

The façade, adorned with columns, statues and a central pediment, is a peak of Renaissance architecture in the Low Countries. The building dominates the Grand-Place and its guild houses, forming an ensemble of rare harmony. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it is first seen from the outside, and its richly decorated interior can be visited under the conditions of the moment.

Practical information

The town hall lies on the Grand-Place, in the heart of Antwerp, reachable on foot. It is a working official building, a UNESCO World Heritage site: the façade can be freely admired, while access inside is under variable conditions and hours, sometimes through guided visits. It is best to enquire before coming.

Who designed Antwerp City Hall?

The architect Cornelis Floris de Vriendt, in the mid-sixteenth century; the Renaissance building was completed in 1565.

Is Antwerp City Hall listed?

Yes, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site, as a major witness of Renaissance architecture and Antwerp's golden age.