Knoop Plantin and Moretus

Throughout the entire trajectory of the Green Bedding, the origin of this landscape, namely the former fortification around the core city, has almost completely disappeared. Yet even today, information about the former defense works can be derived from the current boundaries of the landscape. Where the Bedding widens, which is almost always at the locations of the larger traffic nodes, the various earthworks were situated at that time. Historical maps show how, over a period of barely 40 years, the surroundings changed here in the second half of the 19th century. In 1850, the city was still enclosed within the Spanish fortification, and the areas of Borgerhout and Deurne were still very open. After the construction of the fortification (1870), the construction of the city center grew rapidly (1890). The junction at the current Plantin and Moretuslei was once a special place. To supply the city with fresh water, the Herentalse Vaart was dug from the Rivierenhof. It originally ran near the current Plantin and Moretuslei towards the city park.

Groenplan Stad Antwerpen