Stadspark

Stadspark is Antwerp's oldest public park and one of the few green spaces of this size found right in the city center. Covering roughly 14 hectares, it sits close to Antwerp Central Station, in an area known for its long-established Jewish community. The park's distinctive triangular shape — with its base facing south and its apex pointing north — is no accident; it directly reflects the site's military past.

Why does the park have a triangular shape?

The land now occupied by Stadspark once held Fort Herentals, part of Antwerp's Spanish-era city fortifications. When a much larger new ring of fortifications was built around Antwerp between 1860 and 1865, the older bastions lost their defensive purpose and became redundant. Between 1867 and 1869, the triangular grounds of the former fort were converted into a public park, a project carried out under Antwerp architect and city councilman E. Van Cuyck.

Who designed the park?

The park's layout was designed by German landscape architect Eduard Keilig in the English landscape style — an informal, picturesque approach built around winding paths and naturalistic terrain. This romantic character is what still sets Stadspark apart from Antwerp's other parks today. The straight banks of the old fortress moat were reshaped into a wavy, irregular profile, and the former straight roads were turned into meandering paths. Artificial rock formations were also added, reinforcing the impression of a wild, natural landscape rather than a formal garden.

What can visitors see in the park?

The pond in Stadspark partly follows the course of the old fortress moat and remains the park's focal point. In 1869, a distinctive white-painted pedestrian bridge was built over the pond — a suspended bridge designed by Keilig that remains one of the park's most recognizable features to this day. The park also contains a playground, a large monument commemorating the victims of World War I, several statues, and even a World War II bunker, layering traces of very different periods within a relatively small area.

How has the park changed over time?

After World War II, Stadspark was slightly reduced in size due to the widening of the roads surrounding it. In the 1980s, the construction of Antwerp's metro system and the many underground garages built nearby caused the water level in the pond to drop noticeably, leaving the park looking neglected for a time. Most of these issues have since been addressed.

Given its considerable historical and botanical value, Stadspark was granted protected monument status in 2010. Starting in 2006, the park underwent a gradual renovation: a skatepark was added, a new playground opened in 2009, green areas were improved between 2014 and 2018, the grassy zones around the pond were made accessible again by 2020, and the historic bridge was restored the same year.

Frequently asked questions

How large is Stadspark? The park covers approximately 14 hectares in the center of Antwerp.

Why does the park have a triangular shape? It was built on the site of the former Fort Herentals, whose fortifications defined the triangular outline that the park retains today.

Who designed Stadspark? Its English-style landscape design was created by Eduard Keilig between 1867 and 1869.

What is the park's main attraction? The pond and its historic white suspended bridge from 1869, along with the park's statues and World War I monument.