The Low Countries, paradise of the world, And the loveliest of this paradise is Antwerp. And the sun of this heaven is Antwerp. Antwerp is called a metropolis of the West. This is to be understood both economically, politically and culturally and goes back to its 'golden' 16 th century. It is a city with a distinctive character, one which combines the charm and tradition of a rich history with the vigour and progress of modern industrial Flanders.
Archaeological excavations prove that the region was already inhabited in Roman times.
Antwerp remained a modest local market town until the 13 th century, when it started its rise to its apogee in the 16 th century. The most famous architects built our Lady's cathedral between 1352 and 1530. It still is one of the largest religious buildings above the Alps. An important date is 1512, when the new Bourse was opened. The influence of Italian and Iberian merchants turned Antwerp, a Hanseatic town, into the main financial and mercantile centre of Northern Europe.