Antwerp, like so many European cities, is located at the bend of a river. The city has been formed by the harbour hundreds of years ago. The first evidence of life in the area stems from the 2nd century and was found close to the waterside. Though there are no remnants of the 2nd century visible today, a building from the middle ages still marks the long history of this quay. During the middle ages a high wall along the Scheldekaaien protected the city from floods and invasions, nowadays a lower double flood defence still protects the city. This double barrier needs repairs, and since modern flood defences require less space there is an opportunity to change the layout of the Scheldekaaien. A large renovation project has been started in 2017 and is set to take 15 years. The renovations have been split up into 7 area’s, each with its own history and goals. Some parts have already been finished, but the quay by the centre is mostly untouched. Due to archeological research the work here is slow but the potential of this historic quay was clearly visible when I visited Antwerp recently. 

I started my walk on the south end of the Scheldekaaien. It was a cold gray day towards the end of December. “Perfect overcast" as a professor once called it; when the clouds are so dense that the sun disappears. Only its light remains, spread through the clouds without direction or sense of time. When approaching the waterside you first have to cross a busy street. On the other side of the street is a wide strip that divides the city and its water. At the south side, where the renovations have already been completed, there is a playground in between the road and a dam. Once you climb this dam you are granted an open view on the water. A wide river churning towards the ocean and harbour, one of the biggest harbours in the world. A freighter passes by, making a deep humming noise, contrasted by the screeching seagulls and children. Further south new residential towers rise up and then fade into the horizon. Towards the north, close to the centre, you can find one of the quays main tourist attractions: Het Steen. Het Steen (The Stone) is one of the last remaining pieces of a castle that covered much of the area in the 13th century. As I walk north the old towers are just visible behind the hangers and ferriswheel.

Fig 1: Under the old hangars. From Palmbout Urban landscapes (Scheldekaaien Antwerpen, z.d.)

Even with that beautiful old building in view, it is hard to imagine that the roots of the city are beneath my feet. This parking lot is a non-place, it could have been anywhere. The first half of the parking is on a concrete field, a desolate and windy place. This emptiness does leave room to look around though, making it one of a few spots on the quay where you can see both city and water. The old hangers that follow the concrete field are filled with cars but do hint at a time before. When the ornate frames were filled with merchants and life. I would like to walk underneath the frames and look up through those strange skylights. To walk to the water and look at the boats. But from this part of the quay the waterside is not accessible. More than that, I have completely lost sight of the Schelde. 

As I get closer to Het Steen it gets more and more busy. The usually empty square next to the castle has been transformed into a Christmas fair. With hundreds of twinkle lights the castle's magic starts taking up space. A child balances on the second flood defence; a medium high concrete wall. Other children run around with Christmas treats and tired parents. On the other side of the wall there are tens of people trying to cross the road. The lack of traffic lights is causing a jam but the patience of both drivers and pedestrians is touching. This is not what any urban planner would want, nevertheless the lively city chaos is a nice change after those quiet parking lots. People clearly want to visit this place, and are willing to run between cars to get here. 

One day, when the renovations are done, the field of concrete will have been replaced with trees and dune plants. The cars will be moved underground making the quay a place for picnics and walking. The old hangars will become a large open space that can be used for events. Not very complicated but accessible to the city. The square is one of the first places to be used as intended. A Christmas market is a yearly event that will continue. The rest of the year trees will provide shade and benches will invite people to sit and appreciate the view. On the other side of Het Steen is another hangar. As of today archeological research is being done here. They have found old city walls that show how deep the history of the Scheldekaaien goes. An open museum underneath the hangers will allow visitors to walk through old ruins and learn about the city’s history. In the Scheldekaaien masterplan the goal for every area is described. The centre quay is said to become an impressive entrance to the city once again for tourists entering the city by cruise. And with the archeological findings visible for all to see, the Scheldenkaaien’s history will no longer be hard to imagine, but hard to ignore. 

Literature

Archeologie Scheldekaaien. (z.d.). Antwerpenmorgen. Consulted on January 8th 2026, from  https://www.antwerpenmorgen.be/nl/projecten/archeo-scheldekaaien-schipperWikipedia-bijdragers.

Project Scheldekaaien. (z.d.). Antwerpenmorgen. Consulted on January 8th 2026, from https://www.antwerpenmorgen.be/nl/projecten/scheldekaaien/over 

Scheldekaaien Antwerpen. (z.d.). Palmbout Urban Landscapes. https://palmbout.nl/nl/projecten/scheldekaaien+antwerpen/

Vlaams Architectuurinstituut vzw. (2020, June 17th). Vernieuwde Scheldekaaien in Antwerpen beste publieke ruimte van Vlaanderen. VAi. https://www.vai.be/nieuws/vernieuwde-scheldekaaien-in-antwerpen-beste-publieke-ruimte-van-vlaanderen 

 Wikipedia-bijdragers. (2025, January 23th). Het Steen (Antwerpen). Wikipedia. https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Het_Steen_%28Antwerpen%29