Het Steen

Het Steen, also known as Steen Castle, is Antwerp's historic city fortress and is considered the oldest surviving building in the city. It stands on the right bank of the Scheldt and was originally built to secure access to the city from the direction of the Western Scheldt. The first written records date from the 12th century, although a fortification already existed on this site in the 9th century. The structure you see today was built between 1200 and 1225 as the gatehouse wing of a larger complex belonging to the Dukes of Brabant. Over the centuries, the castle's function changed several times. In the 16th century, Emperor Charles V had it remodeled to house artillery, and in 1549 he gave it to the city. Later it served as a prison for a long time, as a crucifix above the entrance attests; it recalls the final prayers of the condemned before their execution.

Architecturally, the building is a striking example of the Hanseatic style, recognizable by its stepped gables. The surviving section consists of massive, palace-like structures that were redesigned in the 16th century to aristocratic standards. A wall walk with machicolations above the main entrance and two round towers, one with battlements and one with a conical roof, flank the entrance area. Originally, the walls enclosed not only the main building but also a church, a courthouse, and residential buildings, which were demolished in the 19th century when the quays along the Scheldt were straightened to prevent silting. Today only the gatehouse wing remains; it once also served as a museum of antiquities and as the National Maritime Museum.

The castle is also known culturally through Richard Wagner's opera Lohengrin, which is set around the year 933 in the castle at Antwerp. Wagner's stage directions for the set, in particular the arrangement of the women's quarters, great hall, and tower gate, later served as inspiration for the design of Neuschwanstein Castle. For visitors, Het Steen today offers insight into the city's medieval history and its role as a border fortress between the Holy Roman Empire and the County of Flanders.