48 Hours In Antwerp

The Belgian port city and diamond hub offers its multi-cultural population the best of global and local dining, as well as historic structures alongside contemporary marvels.

- Shweta Mehta Sen

Belgium’s second-most populated city is also the second biggest port in Europe after Rotterdam, but arguably its biggest draw is its diversity. While a number of Jews moved here after the Holocaust, the Armenian population is made up largely of descendants of traders who moved here in the 19th century. The Armenians are noteworthy in Antwerp’s booming diamond trade, which has also drawn several Indians — mostly Jains — to the city. Around $220 million worth of diamonds are said to pass through the Diamond Quarter daily. That means over $16 billion in unpolished diamonds pass through here annually, making it the largest diamond district in the world.

MIDDLE GROUND

The diamond district is centrally located, a stone’s throw away from the stunning Antwerpen Centraal station. A 2014 Mashable feature named it the most beautiful railway station in the world, and few might disagree. Originally built between 1895-1905, the whopping structure is split over four levels and has 14 tracks. Bruges-born architect Louis Delacenserie — on the request of King Leopold II — used the station of Lucerne and even Rome’s Pantheon among his inspirations, but it is difficult to assign the structure to a particular style of architecture, given Delacenserie’s eclectic taste.

Interestingly, the locals initially wanted to demolish the structure, because it was too decorative for their liking (that idea was shelved only when the city classified the structure). The stone terminus building — still in excellent condition — has an impressive 75-metre high dome. The structure is not easy to maintain, though. Challenges include acquiring the right materials. The black Belgian marble used, for instance, happens to be the same one used in Napoleon’s tomb in Paris, and isn’t available anymore.