Antwerp’s 16th-century city walls on show again
As part of the pre-metro construction works, a team of archaeologists has uncovered the remains of the gates and bridges that once formed the first line of defence around Antwerp
Glimpse of the past
Antwerp was built as a fortified city, but very little remains of its impressive protective walls. The city is currently in the process of constructing a new pre-metro line, part of which will cross near the ancient walls, which were unearthed by the local archaeology department earlier this summer.
The open day was organised to bring to life a part of local history, before the walls are covered up again.
When completed, the pre-metro line will run along what Antwerpenaars call the Leien – the main boulevards that cut across the city. The Leien follow the path of the former city walls, erected by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in 1542.
The fortifications were designed by master architects from Italy and represented the state-of-the art craftsmanship of the time, explains city archaeologist Karen Minsaer, who served as one of our guides.
In with the new
The wall featured triangular ravelins, or small fortifications, with platforms for rotatable cannons. In front of it was a moat, with several bridges letting people in and out of the city gates.
In a fit of 19th-century urban renovations, the walls were demolished and used to fill up the moat. Earlier this summer, near present-day Paardenmarkt and Tunelplaats, the archaeologists uncovered some of the remaining structures, including the pillar from one of the bridges that led to what was known as the Rode Poort, or Red Gate.
The bridge was 90 metres long and formed part of a basin that kept the Scheldt river from mixing with the fresh water that filled the rest of the moat. The fresh water was used mainly by a group of breweries that were located just inside the city walls.
City planners decided to demolish the gates. That was the mentality of the time; people weren’t interested in heritage
“In 1865, before the walls were demolished, city authorities took photographs of the gates and some of the bastions,” says Minsaer. “People were ready for a new, more open city. They didn’t want to have to cross bridges to get in and out of Antwerp. Also, they had other fortifications, which were put up by General Brialmont in 1859. The ring road follows that outline.”
City planners in the 19th century, she continues, weren’t as concerned about preservation as they are today. “There were the two main gates – Kipdorppoort and Keizerpoort – which some people wanted to keep. Even when the walls were all taken down, these two gates were still standing. There was also international interest in keeping a small, but important, part of the fortifications.”
Unfortunately, she adds, “that didn’t happen. City planners decided to demolish the gates. That was the mentality of the time; people weren’t interested in heritage. The fortifications were soon forgotten.”
Second chance
The excavations were first planned several years ago but couldn’t take place because the archaeologists weren’t sure about the site’s exact size. “Five years ago, we did some prospective work in preparation for the development of Operaplein,” she says, “but the boulevard that’s located where the Red Gate used to be is very wide, and we could only explore near the trees and the parking spaces in the middle of the avenue.”
With the pre-metro construction, the team got a second chance. “We wanted to know how much of the walls were torn down in the 19th century, so for us the Red Gate was a nice surprise. We found out that the city authorities only demolished it to one metre below the ground.”
At the open day, the public was only allowed to see the remains of the bridge that once led to the Red Gate, but it was enough to imagine what the monumental structure must have looked like in its prime.
Of the nine sets of pillars that held it up in the air, only one remains. “The other eight are gone.”
Battle of the Kipdorp Bridge
The site is now closed off again, allowing the pre-metro construction to resume. The Red Gate remains, Minsaer says, were covered up, with the hope that “the future generations of Antwerp” get to find them again.
Despite the excavations, the pre-metro construction has not fallen behind schedule. In Flanders, any public works project can be held up if the archaeologists deem the area scientifically important, so developers usually adjusts their schedules to factor in enough time for excavations and research.
This gives archaeology departments a chance to explore the site, while offering the public an insight into what they’re doing – an important consideration given that the works have virtually closed down the Italiëlei, from Franklin Rooseveltplaats all the way to Tunnelplaats.
We could discover something related to the 1583 battle of the Kipdorp Bridge, when Francis, Duke of Anjou, attacked the city
Other excavations surrounding the construction of the pre-metro line are yet to begin. In November, the bridge leading to the Kipdorp Gate will be exposed, between the street that still bears its name and Rooseveltplaats. That site will be left permanently exposed after the archaeologists have done their work.
Rob Van de Velde, city councillor for heritage, hopes the excavations lead to key historical findings. “We could discover something related to the 1583 battle of the Kipdorp bridge, when Francis, Duke of Anjou, attacked the city,” he says. “The French troops were tricked into entering the city, where 1,500 of them were killed by the heavily armed Antwerp forces.”
The victory, however, was short-lived. A year later, the Duke of Parma, Alexander Farnese, surrounded Antwerp and imposed a blockade on the Scheldt. In the summer of 1585, the city fell to Spain.
‘Huge undertaking’
In the meantime, works on the pre-metro continue. “The archaeological digs were included in our original plans, so they haven’t caused any delays,” Van de Velde explains. “When the archaeologists are busy, the works continue in many other places. We’re committed to carrying out as much archaeological work as possible in the time allowed.”
During the construction, the Kipdorp bastion will be exposed between the bridge and Korte Winkelstraat. Some parts of it will be integrated into the tunnels under the Leien, while others will become part of a bridge complex.
“At Kipdorp, we’ll carry out a very large excavation,” says Minsaer. “It’s the highest point of the boulevards, and based on our research from five years ago, we know that the walls were broken down at ground level.”
The bridge, the walls and the casements have all been preserved, and we’ll be able to explore them up to eight meters below the ground
This means the old bridge has survived underground. “The work we’ve done at the Red Gate gave us an idea of how to restore the site at the Kipdorp Bridge,” Minsaer says. “The bridge, the city walls and the casement windows have all been preserved, and we’ll be able to explore them up to eight meters below the ground. It’s a huge archaeological undertaking.”
The excavations will take place in September and October. “In November, traffic tunnels will be constructed through the bridge and parts of the bastion. Some of the city walls will be removed.”
As part of the pre-metro construction, Operaplein – the square in front of the Opera building on the corner of De Keyserlei and Frankrijklei – will be thoroughly renovated. The new parking and tunnels will include a 60-metre-long fragment of the city wall that ran from the Kipdorp Bridge to Teniersplaats.
“A large part of our work will be integrated into the new Operaplein, with access for the public,” Minsaer says. “This will be a truly unique site.”
