Antwerp

, French: "Anvers") is a city and municipality in Belgium and the capital of the Antwerp province in Flanders, one of Belgium's three regions. Antwerp's total population is 472,071 (as of January 2008) and its total area is 204.51 km², giving a population density of 2,308 inhabitants per km².

Antwerp has long been an important city in the nations of the Benelux both economically and culturally, especially before the Spanish Fury of the Dutch Revolt. It is located on the right bank of the river Scheldt, which is linked to the North Sea by the Westerschelde.

History

Origin of name

According to folklore, and as celebrated by the statue in front of the town hall, the city got its name from a legend involving a mythical giant called "Antigoon" who lived near the river Scheldt. He exacted a toll from those crossing the river, and for those who refused, he severed one of their hands and threw it into the river Scheldt. Eventually, the giant was slain by a young hero named "Brabo", who cut off the giant's own hand and flung it into the river. Hence the name "Antwerpen", from Dutch "hand werpen"—akin to Old English "hand" and "wearpan" (= to throw), that has changed to today's "warp". [ [http://www.belgiumview.com/belgiumview/tl1/view0000599.php4 Brabo Antwerpen 1 (centrum) / Antwerpen] Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 1958
*flagicon|Germany Rostock, Germany,1963
*flagicon|People's Republic of China Shanghai, China, 1984
*flagicon|Turkey Akhisar, Turkey, 1988
*flagicon|Israel Haifa, Israel, 1995
*flagicon|South Africa Cape Town, South Africa, 1996
*flagicon|Spain Barcelona, Spain, 1997
*flagicon|Germany Ludwigshafen, Germany, 1998

Within the context of development cooperation, Antwerp is also linked to:
*flagicon|Suriname Paramaribo, Suriname
*flagicon|South Africa Durban, South Africa

Notable people from Antwerp

Born in Antwerp

*Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence, son of Edward III of England (1338–1368)
*Frans Floris, painter (1520–1570)
*Abraham Ortelius, cartographer and geographer (1527–1598)
*Gillis van Coninxloo, painter of forest landscapes (1544–1607)
*Bartholomeus Spranger, painter, draughtsman, and etcher (1546–1611)
*Paul and Mattheus Brill, landscape painters (1554-1626, 1550-1583, resp.)
*Abraham Janssens, painter (c. 1570-1632)
*Rodrigo Calderón, Count of Oliva, Spanish favourite and adventurer (d. 1621)
*Frans Snyders, still life and animal painter (1579–1657)
*Frans Hals, painter (1580–1666)
*Caspar de Crayer, painter (1582–1669)
*David Teniers the Elder, painter (1582–1649)
*Jacob Jordaens, painter (1593–1678)
*Anthony van Dyck, painter (1599–1641)
*David Teniers the Younger, painter (1610–1690)
*Jan Fyt, animal painter (1611–1661)
*Nicolaes Maes, Baroque painter (1634–1693)
*Gerard Edelinck, copper-plate engraver (1649–1707)
*John Michael Rysbrack, sculptor (1694–1770)
*Hendrik Conscience, writer and author of "De Leeuw van Vlaanderen" (“The Lion of Flanders”) (1812–1883)
*Georges Eekhoud, novelist (1854–1927)
*Hippolyte Delehaye, Jesuit Priest and hagiographic scholar (1859–1941)
*Willem Elsschot, writer and poet (1882–1960)
*Constant Permeke, expressionist painter (1886–1952)
*Paul van Ostaijen, poet and writer (1896–1928)
*Albert Lilar, Minister of Justice (1900–1976)
*Maurice Gilliams, writer (1900–1982)
*Paul Buysse (1945 -), businessman
*Evi Goffin, vocalist (1981- )
*Jessica Van Der Steen, Model (1984 -)
*Karl Gotch, professional wrestler (1924–2007)

Lived in Antwerp

*Quentin Matsys, Renaissance painter, founder of the Antwerp school (1466–1530)
*Jan Mabuse, painter (c. 1478-1532)
*Joachim Patinir, landscape and religious painter (c. 1480-1524)
*John Rogers, minister of religion, Bible translator and commentator, and martyr (c. 1500-1555)
*Joos van Cleve, painter (c. 1500-1540/41)
*Damião de Góis, Portuguese humanist philosopher (1502–1574)
*Sir Thomas Gresham, English merchant and financier (c. 1519-1579)
*Sir Anthony More, portrait painter (1520- c. 1577)
*Christoffel Plantijn, humanist, book printer and publisher (c. 1520-1589)
*Pieter Brueghel the Elder, painter and printmaker (1525–1569)
*Philip van Marnix, writer and statesman (1538–1598)
*Simon Stevin, mathematician and engineer (c. 1548/49-1620)
*John Bull, Welsh composer, musician, and organ builder (c. 1562-1628)
*Jan Brueghel the Elder, also known as “Velvet” Brueghel, painter (1568–1625)
*Pieter Paul Rubens, painter (1577–1640)
*William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle, English soldier, politician, and writer (c. 1592-1676)
*Adriaen Brouwer, painter (1605–1638)
*Jan Davidszoon de Heem, painter (1606–1684)
*Wenceslas Hollar, Bohemian etcher (1607–1677)
*Jan Lievens, painter (1607–1674)
*Jan Frans Willems, writer (1793–1846)
*Henri Alexis Brialmont, military engineer (1821–1903)
*Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, painter (1836–1912)
*Vincent van Gogh, impressionist painter, lived in Antwerp for about four months (1853–1890)
*Camille Huysmans, Socialist politician and former Prime Minister of Belgium (1871–1968)
*Moshe Yitzchok Gewirtzman, leader of the Hasidic Pshevorsk movement based in Antwerp (1881–1976)
*Romi Goldmuntz, businessman (1882–1960)
*Gerard Walschap, writer (1898–1989)
*Albert Lilar, Minister of Justice (1900–1976)
*Suzanne Lilar, essayist, novelist, and playwright (1901–1992)
*Jean Genet, French writer and political activist: lived in Antwerp for short period in 1930s (1909–1986)
*George du Maurier, Came to Antwerp to study art and lost the sight in one eye. Cartoonist, author and grandfather of Daphne du Maurier (1834–1896)
*Chaim Kreiswirth, Talmudist and Rabbi of the Machsike Hadas Community, Antwerp (1918–2001)
*William Tyndale, Bible translator, arrested in Antwerp 1535 and burnt at Vilvoorde in 1536 (ca. 1494-1536)
*Akiba Rubinstein, Polish grandmaster of chess (1882–1961).

pecific areas in Antwerp

* Den Dam – an area in northern Antwerp
* Meir – Antwerp's largest shopping street
* Seefhoek - an area in north-east Antwerp, situated around the Stuyvenbergplein
* Van Wesenbekestraat – the Chinatown of Antwerp
* Zuid – the south of Antwerp
* Zurenborg

ee also

* Antwerp Book Fair
* Antwerp lace
* Antwerp Ruien
* Antwerp Water Works (AWW)
* Archief en Museum voor het Vlaams Cultuurleven
* Jewish Community of Antwerp
* List of mayors of Antwerp
* Pshevorsk – Hassidic Jewish movement based in Antwerp
* University of Antwerp

Notes

References

* Carolus Scribani, "Origines Antwerpiensium", 1610
* Gens, "Histoire de la ville d'Anvers"
* F.H. Mertens, K.L. Torfs, "Geschiedenis van Antwerpen sedert de stichting der. stad tot onze tyden", vol. 7, Antwerp 1853
* J. L. Motley, "Rise of the Dutch Republic", 1856
* P. Génard, "Anvers à travers les ages"
* "Annuaire statistique de la Belgique"
* [http://icarus.umkc.edu/sandbox/perseus/pecs/page.327.a.php Richard Stillwell, ed. "Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites", 1976:] "Antwerp Belgium"
*

External links

* [http://www.antwerpen.be Official Website]
* [http://www.trabel.com/antwerp-history.htm Capsule History]
* [http://www.visitantwerpen.be/ Tourism Antwerp]