Het Steen

The oldest surviving building in Antwerp, this fortified gatehouse on the bank of the Scheldt was built in the early thirteenth century as part of the city's castle and river defences. Over the centuries it served as a prison, a residence and a maritime museum before a recent renovation turned it into a visitor centre. Its stepped facade and turrets, along with a carved relief above the entrance, make it a familiar riverside landmark. From the terrace, visitors look out over the wide river and passing ships.