Rise and fall of Antwerp and the Plantin-Moretusmuseum

The 16^th century was Antwerp's golden age. With over 100.000 inhabitants, it was next to Paris the biggest city of the world, attracting traders, seamen, bankers and ordinary people trying to make their way. Its strategic position, close to the markets in England, Flanders, France, Germany and -while being under Spanish rule- with a direct access to the Spanish economy and its colonial treasures, led economy to a so far not known growth.



One of the most vivid areas was the printing sector. 66 print shops existed around 1560 in Antwerp and the Plantin-Moretus office became the most famous of it. On Saturday, I visited the equally called museum and could witness the spirit of the time. Cleverly balancing between the progressive renaissance thinkers and the conservative clerical power, the family printed licensed bibles as well as the first Dutch dictionary and Dutch encyclopedia. What a discovery the books must have offered to the citizens of its time! The bible could be directly read by those who could, the human body came alive, Europe´s flora and fauna, the Mercator maps described the new shape of the world and the Latin and Greec classics its history. Opening minds, the books gave air to thinking. Whenever you come around in Antwerp, make sure not to miss the museum and understand what happened in Europe in the 16^th century.

Antwerp's golden age was a short period of glance. With the new ideas, a big part of Antwerp citizens turned to Calvinism and Lutheranism. Spanish and French rulers could not accept the secession from its territories and reacted strongly on riot (1866 – Iconoclasm) with strong repression and control (Spanish Fury in 1676). Till, in 1685, the city completely capitulated. More than 40.000 people left Antwerp, most of them of Calvinists and Lutherans. Rulers turned Antwerp into the fortress against upstanding Netherlands, while Dutchies blocked the access to the city's harbor. It meant the end for trading and what was left for the city was the kitsch of Rubens contra-reformatory Baroque. From 1586 till the mid 19^th century, harbor and city fell into deep sleep. It did not prevent the Spanish rulers from decline and the church not from slowly loosing its power. A new boom town came to growth further north: Amsterdam, where a lot of Antwerp's merchants flew to.

16^th century was surely a great time for the city. It is to hope that my contemporary co-Antwerpenaars remember that golden age. The time where the city was most vivid, was a time in search of freedom of thinking, expression and believe. Especially, if Belgium - despite all probability - has to return to the ballot box in the next month. Till know, it seems that the king (!) did not gave up negotiations.

1st pic: Antwerp's city map made in 1566 by Pauwels van Overbeke

2st pic: The famous Biblia Polyglotta edited by Cristoffel Plantijn in 1568