Free audio walk in Antwerp

The Legends of Antwerp

35 min
1.4 km
9 stops
Free

Starts at Steenplein 1

About this walk

Antwerp is a city that has written its own myths. On this route, you discover the legends that have lived for centuries in its streets and squares: stories of remarkable figures, stubborn nicknames and folklore the city never lets go of. The walk starts and ends at the same place.

The stops

Walk them in order; each story plays when you reach its pin.

Map of the 9 stops on The Legends of Antwerp

1
Stop 1
Het Steen
The stone fortress in front of you has outlasted Viking raids, imperial ambitions, and centuries of harbor chaos — and it's still standing.
Read the story
2
Stop 2
Sinjoren
The word that Antwerp residents use with the most pride today started out as a cutting insult.
Read the story
3
Stop 3
The Brabo Fountain
A Roman soldier, a hand-chopping giant, and a legend so powerful it named an entire city.
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4
Stop 4
Opsinjoorke
A wooden dummy tossed in a blanket somehow turned into one of Belgium's most beloved folk traditions.
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5
Stop 5
Quinten Matsys
A blacksmith fell in love, picked up a paintbrush, and fooled a man into swatting a fly that was never there.
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6
Stop 6
Nello and Patrasche
A boy and his dog once walked these cobblestones, and their story broke hearts across an entire continent.
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7
Stop 7
The Ox Hides
Behind this cathedral's single tower hides a story of greed, betrayal, and a secret that cost far more than anyone bargained for.
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8
Stop 8
The Pagadder Tower
This slender little tower has a name that doubles as a gentle insult — and the story behind it says a lot about how Antwerp has always treated outsiders.
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9
Stop 9
Lange Wapper
The bronze giant looming beside Het Steen was the last monster left in Antwerp, and the city never quite managed to get rid of him.
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