Antwerp began as a small settlement along the River Scheldt, where merchants and craftsmen gathered as early as the 9th century. Its strategic location made it a gateway between Northern Europe and the rest of the world. By the 16th century, Antwerp had become one of Europe’s most important trading cities, its harbor bustling with ships and its markets filled with spices, silk, and silver. It was the city of painters like Rubens, of wealthy guilds and daring explorers, a place where art and commerce walked hand in hand.

But prosperity came at a price. Wars, religious conflict, and foreign occupation brought devastation. The fall of Antwerp in 1585 marked the end of its first great era, as trade shifted north to Amsterdam. Yet the city never lost its spirit. The cathedral still towered above the skyline as a symbol of endurance, and its people rebuilt again and again through the French rule, industrial revolution, and two world wars.

Today, Antwerp’s story continues to evolve. The once-busy docks are now creative quarters, its medieval streets echo with new languages, and its reputation as a city of art, fashion, and innovation grows stronger than ever.

With Roods, you don’t just pass through Antwerp—you rediscover the layers of a city that has always dared to reinvent itself.