The Nottebohmzaal

In the heart of Antwerp stands a library dating back to 1481, when city lawyer Willem Pauwels donated his collection. Over centuries it grew into the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library, named after the famous Flemish writer whose statue marks the entrance. Today the library holds over 1.5 million volumes on Dutch language, Flemish culture, history, and literature.

Inside, the Nottebohmzaal is the crown jewel. Created in 1936 within the oldest section, it serves as a display hall and storage for the first 150,000 books. The room is generally closed except for guided tours, lectures, concerts, or from July 1 to September 15. Tall wooden shelves reach up to the ceiling, framed by wrought-iron galleries, and house treasures like antique globes and an Egyptian cabinet.

The Nottebohmzaal functions both as repository and exhibition space, bringing rare items—like Blaeu’s globes—to public attention. Steeped in seventeenth-century Sodaliteit architecture, it is a peaceful, hidden gem in the city, full of openness, discovery, and awe.