On the square in front of the MAS, you literally walk around on world-quality art. A huge mosaic by one of Antwerp’s most fascinating living artists, Luc Tuymans, occupies the Hanzestedenplaats.
Mention of heritage in Antwerp immediately puts us in mind of the cathedral or a painting by Rubens. But the Reuzenstoet (Giants’ Parade) or an ancient tree are also part of our heritage, and the same is true of everything we have built up over the centuries in our society.
Every district of Antwerp consists of a wonderful mix of historical buildings and modern architecture. To see all of this beauty you actually would need wings. But fortunately there are several places, both high up in the air and on the ground, to see as much as possible of the city.
Antwerp was a particularly popular port of emigration among Jews from Central and Eastern Europe. These people constituted a sizeable proportion of the Red Star Line’s passengers. The shipping company recruited its “customers” from deep within Eastern Europe.