The Steen is the oldest preserved building in Antwerp. However, it is only a small part of a large fortress (wall) that was built in the 11th century. The rest of the structure was destroyed in the 1880-ies with the straightening of the Scheldt River quays.

Initially, the fortress served as protection from foreign invaders. Over time, the core city gradually moved towards ‘Grote Markt’ and the defensive function of the Steen disappeared. Therefore, the building has had a wide range of functions: from castle to prison to warehouse and museum.

A new tourist welcome center

From 2020 onwards, the Steen will function as the gateway to Antwerp. In the next years, it will get a thorough restoration. After that, it will play the role of cruise terminal and entertainment center offering interactive experience for residents and visitors.

In the meantime, the city of Antwerp has set up an information booth on Steenplein that catapults visitors into the future monument with the help of 3D technology. So if you’re interested in both the past and the future of the Steen, the new information point is where you need to go.

Location of the Steen
Steenplein 1

Opening hours of the information point
The information point opens every weekend from 10 am to 5 pm.