Photos

Old metal on wheels...

This is an abandonned crane on the Scheldt riverside under a blue winter sky.

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A short history of the port of Antwerp...

The name Antwerp comes from 'anda verpum', which refers to its position on the oustide of a bend in the river Scheldt.

In the 16th century Antwerp was the Europe's busiest port, then it fell victim to a sectarian war, as a result of which the Low Countries were split in two and the port of Antwerp became blocked for centuries.

In the late 18th century Napoleon saw the port of Antwerp as a potential "gun aimed at the heart of England" and brought the harbour back to life.

Of course, it was he himself who was defeated some time later...but it proved to be enough for Antwerp to reclaim its position as a world harbour.

Since then the natural curves of the river Scheldt have been straightened (ouch!) for bigger ships to dock, but as the harbour became bigger, it left the city and moved north towards the Dutch border, though remnants of the old port are still visible in and near the old town, including some old cranes.

I guess they belong to a museum, or maybe they just got left behind.

Sad old monsters...