Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp

The Spanish period in Antwerp began when Charles V, who was born in Ghent, inherited Spain through his mother. While he was Count of Flanders and Duke of Brabant through his father, he became King of Spain through his mother, at that time a world empire. “So it is not that Spain occupied our territories, but our king settled in Spain to govern his empire from Madrid,” says Rudi Mannaerts. “From 1556, the territories went to his son, King Philip II. This is how we became the Spanish Netherlands.”

"In the cathedral, you can find images of these princes as 'a sign that their function was so willed by God.' The coat of arms remains from Emperor Charles V and his wife Isabella of Portugal. “Charles V laid the first stone of the cathedral's expansion in 1521. The people of Antwerp wanted to make their church the largest in the world, but due to fire, war, the Reformation... that never happened.” You can see Philip II and his wife Mary Tudor in the apse above the main altar. And the Archdukes Albert and Isabella are depicted in a stained glass window in the north transept."

GVA - Gazet van Antwerpen