Antwerp, a city in Belgium

When you want to travel, it’s important to plan your trip, and one of the best ways to read about nice places to visit is by reading blogs where world trekkers describe their experiences and give advice. In the following blog, we find information about Antwerp, a city located in Belgium.

But first...

Rubens
Did you know that Pieter Paul Rubens was one of the most famous and successful artists of the 17th century? He was known for his baroque style. He had an enormous impact on the art of his own time and on the generations that followed. His style was a combination of Renaissance art and lively realism.

Stimulate your senses in the footsteps of Rubens through Antwerp

Rubens
Grote Markt
mapa
Did you know that Antwerp is not only known for having the second biggest port of Europe, but also for being home of the best chocolate and fashion? Besides, it’s a multicultural city and some of the most spoken languages here are Dutch, French, English and even Arabic. Today, people from all over the world visit Antwerp for its vibrant fashion and entertainment scene. However, in the 16th century, Antwerp was one of Europe’s most important cities and even one of the world’s most famous painters called it his home, Pieter Paul Rubens. When you walk around Antwerp, it’s easy to see why they called it the premier baroque city of the Low Countries.
The Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal (the Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp)
mapa

The best way to discover more about Ruben’s life, is to visit his city palace. This is the place where he painted most of his masterpieces. Even though the baroque period is long gone, there’s still plenty to see of this gorgeous style when you walk through the streets of Antwerp. The interiors of some of the city churches, chapels and houses are some of the most beautiful pieces of art you’ll see. One of Rubens’ masterpieces is by far the Sint-Carolus Borromeus church. Not many people know that Rubens was also an interior designer and architect and that he collaborated in the design of the church. In the 17th century, someone gave this church the biggest compliment you could give; it was called “heaven on earth”. Visiting this city is a must, as there’s an effort in making the city more up to date to compete with other European destinations and to reclaim its place of Europe’s best city to visit.

Nick Van Loy is a writer from Belgium. His passion for guiding people in the world of travel flows in his writing. In addition to writing about traveling, he has also written two novels and is currently working on his third one. Find out more on his website: www.vanloynick.be

Multiple choice exercise

    1 Who could be more interested in reading this article?

    • Writers and fashion designers
    • Historians, artists, architects, interior designers and tourists
    • Architects and chefs

    2. 2 Why does the title make reference to the footsteps of Rubens?

    • Because you can visit the places where Rubens lived.
    • Because you can take a tour, and walk through Rubens’ favorite places.
    • Because as you visit different places in this city, you can see his artistic legacy.

    3. 3 In the text we learn about the different occupations that Rubens had, how many are mentioned?

    • 1
    • 2
    • 3

    4. 4 Antwerp has ______ ports in Europe.

    • one of the most polluted
    • one of the biggest
    • one of the most beautiful
    • one of the best

    5. 5 Who gave Sint-Carolus Borromeus church the biggest compliments one could ever do?

    • A famous interior designer
    • A famous architect
    • Doesn’t say
Reading + writing exercise

Write the following words on the blank spaces matching their respective meanings.

  • Baroque
  • chapel
  • up to date
  • masterpiece
  1. A person's greatest piece of work. masterpiece
  2. In accordance with the latest or newest ideas, standards, techniques, styles, etc.; modern. up to date
  3. A separate part of a church, or a small structure like a church, used for special religious services. chapel
  4. A style of architecture and art of the early 17th to mid-18th century marked by lively decoration and dramatic effect. Baroque