Het Steen

​If you're looking for the perfect starting point in Antwerp, Het Steen is a must-visit. It’s a striking blend of the city's oldest history and its modern future. ​It’s fascinating to see the 11th-century stone fortress merged with a sleek, contemporary extension. It shouldn't work, but it somehow looks great against the Scheldt River. ​Instead of a dusty museum, you get an interactive trail that walks you through the city's history, fashion, and quirks. It’s digital-forward and very easy to digest. ​Don't miss the roof terrace. It offers a fantastic panoramic view of the river and the city skyline for free. ​The statue out front of the legendary giant is the perfect . ​It serves as the city's visitor center, so it’s bustling but incredibly helpful. Whether you want to geek out on medieval walls or just grab a map and a coffee with a view, it feels welcoming rather than stuffy. If you’re short on time, skip the full paid tour and just head straight to the rooftop terrace to get your bearings of the city layout.

You can totally check out the waterfront view in Antwerp here! Plus, there are spots to sit inside, so it's a great idea to pop in after visiting the church. You'll feel super refreshed and like you can breathe deeper than usual!

beautiful on the outside but nothing on the inside hahaha just a tourist center! OHHH but inside they have a seating that faced the canals view and it's nice to just have a seat there while watching the water, if you climb upstairs you can reach the panoramic view (it's quite nice to see the city from above, specially you can see the cathedral from there!) but it's quite small! soo maybe i suggest you came here with no expectations but a cute picture and mid to pretty scenery (and a cafe bar kinda thing below!)

Old fortress on the bank of the canal. There is nothing inside to visit. There is although a small cafe inside, which might be interesting. Behind the fortress, there is a spot where you can sit and enjoy the canal water. I believe, if you visit the cafe, there are some better spot to watch the waters on the other side.

Het Steen is absolutely stunning from the outside—it’s the oldest building in Antwerp and looks like something out of a fairy tale. However, keep in mind that the interior has been heavily modernized. Much of the space now serves as a tourist information center and a cruise terminal. While there isn't a traditional "castle tour" of the historic rooms, it is a very practical stop. You can get city maps, browse the gift shop, or visit "The Antwerp Story" (an interactive exhibit about the city's history). The best part of going inside is actually heading to the rooftop terrace; it offers a great view of the Scheldt River and the city skyline!

Nice place to visit. You can find here information office and from the top is nice viewpoint for all river. Situated on the river in the city center, the famous medieval fortress is the oldest building in Antwerp.

Beautiful outside, modern renovation internally, lovely views, very nice museum inside.

The castle/fort itself is beautiful on the outside. However, on the inside almost everything is modern. You can't really visit the old part of the castle. There is also no information at all about the history of this beautiful building. It was really a let down for me as a historian.

This castle is a short walk from the Antwerp train station! We visited on 10/3/24. It's really nice because you can walk around the castle and roof for free. It was a little weird because we expected a very old inside and a old time vibe but the biggest area inside of the castle that's open to the public is a gift shop. It was still a blast to see and I'm glad we went!

Seriously, you have to love a good old medieval castle. Okay, maybe it isn't strictly a medieval castle, but it still looks like one. Actually, the official title is a gate house, namely because it was used to collect tolls from boats that would stop off in Antwerp as they travelled up the Scheld. The castle was also a prison because, well, what better place to put prisoners than in a cold and dank medieval castle. Apparently it is now a museum, but I didn't get to check out the museum because, well, I couldn't find out where the entrance was located. Still, I did get a change to wander around the castle, which is always something that I love doing, especially since there aren't all that many castles in Australia.

When visiting Antwerp why not check out old medieval castles you can enter for free. Granted-- it is fairly renovated inside and not medieval as much, but makes for a nice workshop and cafe plus studio space for kids. However, the outside is still all that medieval glory plus gloomy European river scenery to boot with adjacent pier to stroll down and to top it off the God of Youth & Fertility also welcoming you at Het Steen's gates. From the central station, it's in easy walking distance as well. We ended up strolling over to it on a rainy day and when the cold became too much we went inside for some hot tea. At the entrance you're met with a massive hour glass (and Semini) which welcomes you to turn it over to restart time or do some sort of activity with it, but I'd rather not break anything and didn't touch it... But on the upside it's a bit fairytale-esque with the set up. There are also a few workshops and more of the odd tent structures inside. The cafe was very charming and well lit. A play area set to the side for kids and lots of seating. We each got something to warm up and relaxed by one of the windows. While it was a bit odd to see such modern interiors to a very old building, it was also just a lot of fun to wander into. Unless you're a big history or architecture buff--- or there for the classes/workshops, I can't imagine wanting to day trip to this castle, but if you are in Antwerp and near the pier it's a nice pit stop and it's not too often, I suppose, that you get to say you're having tea in a medieval castle.

This rock structure looks rather cool from the outside. But it's currently all fenced off due to construction. Het Steen is being turned into a visitor center with cruise terminals. This repurposing of a historic site in such a way sounds rather hideous!

Het Steen or Steen Castle is a medieval fortress in Antwerp near the pier. If you're exploring Antwerp by foot, it is really hard to miss and definitely worth checking out. The castle was built in the middle ages and it is one of Antwerp's oldest buildings. The statue of Semini (the Scandinavian God of youth and fertility) will greet you at the front. Go ahead--take some photos. Bonus: At the back of the castle, you'll also find a plaque to commemorate us Canadians for their efforts in Flanders.