A Walk down Grote Markt

Now i was feeling like a total giant,
But now it feels like Silvius Brabo has sliced my hand off
and thrown it in the river!
Now I was just doing my job,
my feet sink into the bed of the Scheldt
but now my fingers are reeling about with the fishes.
Big up Brabo.

These are the lines from a song that is used to depict the legend of the mythical hero Silvius Brabo who was said to be a Roman soldier. Legend has it that Brabo was the one responsible for killing Druon Antigoon. Antigoon was a giant who would demand money from the people who wished to pass the bridge that runs over Scheldt. Brabo then took revenge by cutting off the hand of the giant and throwing it into the river.

A statue that commemorates this legend stands in Antwerp till date.

The Grote Markt in Antwerp:

This small city square gets dominated mainly by the city hall, which was built in the 16th century. The triangular shape of the city square is said to originate from the municipal ground which is said to have been built during the days of the Franks.

The Famous Brabo Fountain:

This is perhaps the most famous attraction of the Grote Markt. There was a large fountain that was built here in the year 1887. Built by an architect named Jef Lambaux, this fountain depicts one of Antwerp’s most important symbols – Brabo.

As earlier mentioned; legend has it that Brabo cut off Antigoon’s hand and threw it into the river. This fountain is built to depict Brabo throwing the hand of that giant into the river. This is what is symbolic of free passage for everyone who passes through the river.

Guild Houses:

Grote Markt is perhaps best known for the Guild houses that align the square. They make for quite a pretty sight. It is a pity that most of these buildings are relatively new. A large part of the Grote Markt was affected by the fire in 1576. The houses were rebuilt later, under the supervision of Hans Vredeman, who was the chief architect of the town. He built them back in Flemish Renaissance style.

However, in the 19th century, the houses were revamped again. House number 7 is said to be prettiest of the lot and is crowned by a statue of St. George. Do not miss any of the statues that crown the House of Guilds.

House number 25 is said to stand at the exact spot where an Inn used to stand early on. This Inn was even mentioned in ‘Marieken van Niemwhegen’, which was a medieval play.

Plan a trip down to Grote Markt square on a warm summer day. Now that traffic has been banned from the area, it is the perfect spot for you to relax over a mug of chilled beer.