The stars of Antwerp: The Central Station

One of the grandest buildings in Antwerp is the Central Station. It welcomes visitors who arrive by train in Antwerp like a modern day cathedral. The part of the station where the platforms are is covered by an immense metal and glass dome (typical for turn-of-the-century railway stations in Europe), designed by architect Van Bogaert. The station building itself was designed between 1895 and 1905 by architect Delacenserie. Here ends the oldest railway line in Belgium (between Brussels and Antwerp over the city of Mechelen).

The entrance hall looks like a Taj Mahal built out of love for the industrial blessings of the new era. The inner decoration in eclectic style with the use of marble and the presence of a gigantic staircase make any visitor who enters Antwerp here feel like a king. A few years ago, the Antwerp Railway Station was used in the British television series 'Hercule Poirot'. The famous 'Belgian' detective visited Brussels... and many Belgians were surprised to see that the Antwerp station had changed its name to 'Gare de Bruxelles' (Brussels Station).