3. St. Paul's Square

Most Greeks came to Antwerp through shipping. “The port of Antwerp has been a magnet for centuries. Since the 13th century, there have been mentions in the city chronicles of a merchant guild from Constantinople,” says Lieven. “Especially after World War I, shipping flourished. Daily, you would see up to five hundred Greek sailors walking around. Because it took two to three weeks for a ship to unload and load, they hung around the city. This led to a boom in Greek hospitality businesses around the Schipperskwartier, on the Koolkaai, and at Sint-Paulusplaats.”

“The most famous dance hall was the Koumioti. During that period, Antwerp had no less than eight Greek dance halls, about forty Greek bars, and a dozen restaurants. Restaurant Athena at Sint-Paulusplaats is still one of the few remnants from that time and is now run by the second generation of owners.” When the film Zorba the Greek came out in 1964, suddenly everyone wanted to experience the Greek atmosphere in their own city. “They came from near and far to celebrate here.”

GVA - Gazet van Antwerpen