Antwerpen Region History

Turnhout originated on the crossroads of two major trade routes and in the protection of the hunting castle of the  Dukes of Brabant  that seems to have existed since 1110 or earlier. This hunting past is still reflected in the city's  coat of arms . The small community that developed obtained its Libertas as a “free city” from Henry I, Duke of Brabant  in about 1212. In  1338 , the privilege of organizing a market on saturday was granted, a tradition that still holds today. In  1466  a traveller described the well-built houses and paved roads, and counted five churches.By the  16th century  Turnhout had become a wealthy commercial center. Unfortunately there were not only ups, but also downs. The end of the  16th century brought  war ,  fire ,  confiscations  and  epidemics . Suppresion and  inquisition  made many progressive citizens to take refuge in  Holland , leaving the land of Turnhout impoverished behind. The further history of Turnhout consists of a series of ups and downs. Many times, the city and surroundings were the playground of  armies , resulting in two major  battles  named after Turnhout: one in  1597  and one in  1789  are referred to as  Battle of Turnhout .In  1830   Belgium  became independent, and Turnhout fell just south of the new border with the  Netherlands . The period of peace between 1831 and 1914 saw the digging of the  canal  ( 1846 ) and the construction of the  railroad  ( 1855 ).In the late  Middle Ages  Turnhout was a well-known centre for the  weaving  of bedding articles and of the  linen  trade. At the start of the  19th century  these trades were replaced by industries based on the use of paper.  Pieter Corbeels  and  Philippus Jacobus Brepols  are considered to be the founder of this industry. Turnhout retains much of this industry today. Numerous graphics companies are located in the region, such as  Brepols ,  Group Joos ,  Proost International Book Production , Van Genechten Packaging , and last but not least  Cartamundi , the world market leader of the  playing card  industry. In addition the Belgian Centre for the Graphics Industry, and the  Flemish Innovation Center for Graphic Communication  are located in Turnhout.  Soudal , whose headquarter is located in Turnhout, is one of the leading companies in sealants.

Diamant city! Interesting city full of history and beautiful places to visit.

If you're with a group, getting a trip around the canals is enjoyable. Iy's relatively short, and allows a quick "brush up" on Mechelen's history.

Antwerp is a very historical and metropolitan city. It's one of world's most important fashion and art cities. It's also world's most important city for the diamond industry. Antwerp is a Medieval city with lots of old buildings and houses. The old side of the city has a lot Art-Deco, Jugendstil and Art Nouveau architecture. The places to be if you love architecture are 'Zurenborg', 't Zuid' and the 'Grote Plaats'. If you aren't that interested in architecture and you just love fashion and lifestyle, your places to be are 'Meir', 'Oudaen', 'Kammenstraat', 'Groenplaats', 'Nationalestraat', 'Schuttershofstraat' and 'Huidevettersstraat. Antwerp is a true hotspot for those who love history and architecture, but have a weakness for fashion !