Kathedraal (De), Antwerp

Splendid. You must stop here when in Antwerp. Beautiful inside and out. Great value, wonderful view. Touristy around the entrance, but go a bit beyond and enjoy a lovely catherderal. Watch out for pick pockets on the street!

What struck me, is that the Cathedral has been in repairs for many years, almost "peace meal". It was an enourmous effort to tackle the "old Lady" and spruce her up. It amazes me that the art work remained in perfect shape. The pulpit's unbelievable carving left me speechless. Above all, I was doing some geneology work and low and behold, two of my ancesters were buried inside the Cathedral. Too bad that the serenity of yester year was gone. Flashlights kept glaring, tourists (like me) tried to identify the valuable and unbelievable art treasures, which were relocated from their original locations. A terrific stop-over to admire the architecture (inside and outside as well). The history of the architect's design, as well as his suicide was interesting. The old lady's foundation is made from raw hide. This is unusual since it held the old church in place for such a long time. When you arrive early, you can imagine listening to the voices of the spirits, burried inside as well as the whispers of the ancient workers, the deceased clergy, the deceased worshippers. Fascinating experience. Will visit again.