Meir (Antwerp)

Meir shopping street.

Angelic figure, poised high above the street, Meir. Intersection of The Meir and Jesusstraat.

Meir is the main shopping street in Antwerp, Belgium, together with the Nieuwstraat / Rue Neuve avenue in Brussels it is the most important shopping area in the country. Situated in the centre of Antwerp, Meir connects the Town Hall with the Central Station. Between 2002-2004 it was the most expensive shopping street in the Benelux. Since the opening of the historic Stadsfeestzaal-shopping center in 2007 the Meir regained that position. It has the highest rents of any street in Belgium, at 1,700 €/square metre/year.^[1] The name comes from the old Dutch word "meere" (lake). The Meir used to be a so-called "wood lake" (houtmeer), where wood destined for use in furniture would be kept wet for a time.^{[citation needed]}

Historical buildings

• Meir 50: Royal Residence, built in 1745. This building served as the Antwerp residence of Belgian kings.

• Meir 85: Osterrieth House, built in 1746 in full Rococo-style

Surroundings

• The Neoclassical Bourla Theatre, built in 1827 and 1834 by architect Pierre Bruno Bourla.
• Central Station, completed 1905 in an eclectic style.
• Town Hall, completed 1564 in Flemish-Italian Renaissance style.
• Trading Exchange, reconstruction of one of the world's first stock-exchange built in 1531.
• Rubens House, historical home of the painter Rubens

External links

• Official website with all stores
• Official website of Rubens house
• The most important shopping streets of Antwerp
• One of the trendy stores for men - specialist in Italian Shirts

Coordinates: 51°13′5″N 4°24′31″E / 51.21806°N 4.40861°E / 51.21806; 4.40861

References

1. ^ High streets – the rental hit parade 10 Mar, 2010