Kipdorpbrug

Kipdorpbrug is a 16th-century defensive bridge in Antwerp that lay completely forgotten underground for more than a century and a half, until construction crews rediscovered it in 2018 while building the city's new Noorderlijn tram line. Measuring roughly 90 metres in length and 7 metres in width, the structure was found buried beneath the crossing of Frankrijklei and Italiëlei streets, right in the heart of the city.

How did this bridge come to be built?

The bridge was part of a major expansion of Antwerp's city walls, ordered by Emperor Charles V starting in 1542. The Italian engineer Donato di Boni was brought in to design the new fortification system, replacing the city's outdated medieval wall. The old wall was demolished and replaced with a new defensive structure ten metres high, featuring five monumental Renaissance-style gates, nine pentagonal bastions, and a surrounding moat.

Kipdorpbrug was built to connect with one of these gates, the Kipdorppoort, serving as the crossing point over the moat and allowing traffic in and out of the city on its eastern side.

Why did it matter so much to the city?

From the 16th century until 1865, Kipdorpbrug and its adjoining gate formed the main eastern access route into Antwerp. Anyone travelling to the city from the Kempen region or North Brabant had no choice but to pass through this crossing, making it a strategically vital point for the local economy and daily life for well over three centuries.

What role did it play during the Spanish Fury conflicts?

The bridge and gate proved their defensive value in 1583, during the so-called French Fury. Francis, Duke of Anjou, acting in coordination with William of Orange, launched a failed attempt to seize Antwerp through the Kipdorppoort. The attack was repelled, confirming the effectiveness of the fortification system in protecting the city from hostile forces.

How did the bridge disappear for so long?

As Antwerp expanded through the 19th century, the old fortification system lost its military relevance. The walls, bastions and moats were gradually filled in and built over, and the bridge, along with a section of wall and a bastion measuring 12 metres in height, vanished beneath the modern street level for more than 150 years. It took archaeological excavation work tied to the Noorderlijn tram project to bring this piece of old Antwerp back into the light, revealing a structure in surprisingly good condition.

Can visitors see it today?

Following its rediscovery, the bridge, bastion and wall fragment were opened to the public during a special weekend in February 2018. Antwerp residents queued in large numbers for the chance to walk across the historic bridge and explore the space beneath it, underlining just how much interest there is in the archaeological heritage hidden beneath the city's modern streets.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Kipdorpbrug located? The bridge sits beneath the intersection of Frankrijklei and Italiëlei streets in central Antwerp, along the route of the Noorderlijn tram line.

From which period does the structure date? It was built as part of the 16th-century expansion of Antwerp's city fortifications, begun in 1542 under Emperor Charles V.

Is the bridge permanently open to visitors? No — it is an archaeological site that has only been made accessible to the public on special occasions since its rediscovery.

How large was the bridge? Kipdorpbrug measured approximately 90 metres in length and 7 metres in width.