Lange Wapper

The bronze figure towering above you is Lange Wapper, sculpted by Albert Poels in 1963. Notice how the two men at his feet cower beneath him, faces twisted with fear. That reaction is entirely appropriate.

Lange Wapper comes from deep in Antwerp's folklore, rooted in a time when the forests surrounding the city were believed to be crawling with demons, goblins, and malevolent spirits. Eventually, the townspeople had enough. Priests led a great purge through the streets and woodlands, armed with a bell, a book, a candle, and icons of the Virgin Mary. Armed citizens marched alongside them, driving the creatures toward the sea.

Almost every monster was expelled. Almost. One slipped away, submerging himself in the water while the chaos raged around him. When the city finally grew quiet again, he surfaced and crept into the canals of Antwerp, carrying centuries of bitterness with him. That was Lange Wapper.

He could stretch taller than a rooftop or shrink to the size of a mouse. By night, he stalked drunkards and terrorized children, his unsettling laughter drifting through the dark. Desperate residents began bolting Virgin Mary statues onto their facades to ward him off.

Those statues are still all over the city. Draw your own conclusions.