Translated as “The Stone”, the castle Het Steen is an imposing structure looming over the river Scheldt. Completed in 1225, the castle the oldest standing building in Antwerp. It was the only structure built from stone in a time when most houses were made of wood, which gave it the name “Het Steen”.

Originally built to be the home of a lord, the castle has also been used as a prison and now houses the National Maritime Museum. The museum has exhibits about the development of the Antwerp Port and the city’s maritime history, as well as models of old-fashioned sailing ships such as its East India Company clippers.

The castle’s thick walls, strong barrel vaults and stern, sturdy air are distinctly Romanesque, remnants of Belgium’s history as part of the Holy Roman Empire. Het Steen has witnessed the Renaissance, the French Revolution and the two World Wars, but remains standing – resolute and formidable as a great rock.