MANCAMONDO

Central Western
Europe

Kingdom of Belgium

The Benelux Union is a politico-economic union of three neighbouring
states in western Europe: Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

The name Benelux is formed from joining the first
two or three letters of each country's name.

Benelux

Belgium

Antwerp

Belgium is a low-lying country on the North Sea coast in the Benelux.

The Port of Antwerp is one of the biggest in the world,
ranking second in Europe and within the top 20 globally.

Antwerp was also the place of the world's oldest stock exchange building, originally built in 1531 and re-built in 1872, it has been derelict since 1997.

Antwerp has long been an important city in the Low Countries, both economically and culturally, especially before the Spanish Fury (1576) in the Dutch Revolt.

Antwerp Flemish Region february 2018

Antwerp (Dutch: Antwerpen; French: Anvers) is a city in Belgium and the capital of Antwerp province in the Flemish Region.

16th-century Guildhouses at the Grote Markt, Antwerp, Flanders, Flemish Region, Flämische Region, Belgium february 2018.

The Cathedral of Our Lady (Dutch: Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Antwerp.

Early recorded versions of the name include Ando Verpia on Roman coins found in the city centre.

Antwerpen, Flanders, Flemish Region, Vlaams Gewest, Région flamande, Flämische Region, Belgium february 2018.

The Stadhuis (City Hall) of Antwerp, Belgium, stands on the western side of Antwerp's Grote Markt (Great Market Square).

Antwerpen, Flanders, Flemish Region, Vlaams Gewest, Région flamande, Flämische Region, Belgium february 2018.

Antwerp Grote Markt, Statue of Brabo and the giant's hand. Silvius Brabo was a mythical Roman soldier
who was said to have killed a giant, and by this would have created the name Brabant.

Antwerpen, Flanders, Flemish Region, Vlaams Gewest, Région flamande, Flämische Region, Belgium february 2018.

Het Steen (literally: 'The Stone'), Antwerpen, Flanders, Flemish Region, Vlaams Gewest, Région flamande, Flämische Region, Belgium february 2018.

Although Antwerp was formerly a fortified city, hardly anything remains of the former enceinte, only some remains
of the city wall can be seen near the Vleeshuis museum at the corner of Bloedberg and Burchtgracht.

Antwerpen, Flanders, Flemish Region, Vlaams Gewest, Région flamande, Flämische Region, Belgium february 2018.

Antwerp is on the River Scheldt, linked to the North Sea by the river's Westerschelde estuary.

Antwerpen, Flanders, Flemish Region, Vlaams Gewest, Région flamande, Flämische Region, Belgium february 2018.

The Port of Antwerp is one of the biggest in the world, ranking second in Europe and within the top 20 globally.

The Museum aan de Stroom (Museum by the River) is a museum located along the river Scheldt in the Eilandje district.

The central focus of the MAS is Antwerp and its connection to the world. The MAS collection ranges from maritime
objects which document international trade and shipping, to the history, art and culture of the port city
of Antwerp and to art and culture from Europe, Africa, America, Asia and Oceania.

Eilandje district, Antwerpen, Flanders, Flemish Region, Vlaams Gewest, Région flamande, Flämische Region, Belgium february 2018.

The inhabitants of Antwerp are nicknamed Sinjoren, after the Spanish honorific señor or French
seigneur, "lord", referring to the Spanish noblemen who ruled the city in the 17th century.

Antwerp Flemish Region february 2018

The Cathedral of Our Lady (Dutch: Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal). The church's one finished spire is 123 metres (404 ft) high,
the highest church tower in the Benelux. Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor commented that the spire should be kept under glass,
and Napoleon compared the spire to Mechlin lace. The largest bell in the tower requires 16 bell ringers.

St. Charles Borromeo Church (Dutch: Sint-Carolus Borromeuskerk) is a church in central Antwerp, located on the Hendrik Conscience square.

It was built in 1626 as the Jesuit church of Antwerp, which was closed in 1773.
It was rededicated in 1779 to Saint Charles Borromeo.

The church was inspired by the Church of the Gesu, the mother church of the Society of Jesus,
a Roman Catholic religious order also known as the Jesuits.

It was the first church in the world to be dedicated to the Jesuit founder, Ignatius Loyola.

Antwerpen, Flanders, Flemish Region, Vlaams Gewest, Région flamande, Flämische Region, Belgium february 2018.

Antwerpen-Centraal (English: Antwerp Central; French: Gare d'Anvers-Centrale) is the main train station in the city of Antwerp.

The original terminal station building was constructed between 1895 and 1905 as a
replacement for the first terminus of the Brussels-Mechelen-Antwerp railway.

The stone-clad building was designed by Louis Delacenserie. The viaduct into the station
is also a notable structure designed by local architect Jan Van Asperen.

The station is widely regarded as the finest example of railway architecture in Belgium, although the extraordinary eclecticism
of the influences on Delacenserie's design had led to a difficulty in assigning it to a particular architectural style.

The originally iron and glass train hall (185 metres long and 44 metres or 43 metres high) was designed by
Clément Van Bogaert, an engineer, and covers an area of 12,000 square metres.

Antwerpen-Centraal , Flanders, Flemish Region, Vlaams Gewest, Région flamande, Flämische Region, Belgium february 2018.

Antwerp Darklands LeatherPride Belgium 23-25 feb 2018

Antwerp, Darklands Festival LeatherPride, Belgium, 25.02.2018.

The event is a collaboration of different groups, organizations, clubs and over 150 volunteers.
The various tribes in the fetish community (Leather, rubber, army, puppies…) come together to create a unique spectacle of fetish brotherhood.

Antwerp, Darklands Festival LeatherPride, Belgium, 25.02.2018.