| 1879 Perron map: Antwerp Anvers Antwerpen, Flanders, Belgium, #30 |
Nice small map titled Anvers, from wood engraving with fine detail and clear impression. Overall size approx. 17 x 16.5 cm, image size approx. 11.5 x 9 cm. From La Nouvelle Géographie universelle, la terre et les hommes, 19 vol. (1875-94), great work of Elisee Reclus. Cartographer is Charles Perron.
Antwerp,
Flemish ANTWERPEN, French ANVERS, capital of Antwerp province, Belgium. It is located 55 miles (88 km) southeast of the North Sea on the estuary formed by the Scheldt (Schelde), Meuse (Maes), and Rhine (Rijn) rivers. It is often identified as the unofficial capital of Flanders, the Dutch- (Flemish-) speaking portion of Belgium. The city is one of the world's major seaports.
The original site of Antwerp on the right (east) bank of the Scheldt River is a vast alluvial plain; since 1923, however, the city's territory has also included land on the river's left bank. Antwerp's contemporary economic life reflects its long history as a major seaport and world trade centre. In addition to shipping and port-related activities, the major manufactures include automobiles, petrochemicals, and electronics. The city is also a centre for diamond cutting.
Antwerp can be divided into three major sections. The old city, with narrow, winding streets, lies within the former confines of the 16th-century fortifications, which were replaced in the 19th century by broad avenues. The 19th-century portions of the city stretch beyond a second set of ring roads, while many newer neighbourhoods lie still farther from the old city and blend into adjacent municipalities.
The Cathedral of Our Lady, begun in the 14th century, is a fine example of Gothic architecture and the largest church in the country. Other examples of Antwerp's rich cultural heritage are preserved in several museums, notably the Rubens House, the Museum Plantin-Moretus, and the Royal Museum of Fine Arts. The city has both state and private institutions of higher learning and is the site of the National Higher Institute and Royal Academy for Fine Arts (1663) and the Royal Flemish Conservatory of Music (1898).
The port complex handles heavy ship and barge traffic. Antwerp is a domestic and international railway centre, and its Deurne airfield handles both freight and passenger flights.
The city almost tripled its population in 1983 with the annexation of several neighbouring municipalities. Area city, 75 square miles (195 square km); metropolitan area, 121 square miles (315 square km). Pop. (1988 est.) city, 476,044; (1987 est.) metropolitan area, 1,100,000.