Antwerp is located in the northern part of Belgium. It received the city rights in 1290 and its most rapid growth is associated with Hanseatic merchants. Representative guild houses, reminding of the commercial traditions of the city, are located near the River Scheldt at the Antwerp Great Market Square. Today, perfectly preserved façades of the 16th-century guild houses with the Renaissance City Hall and Brabo fountain are the main points on the historical, cultural and tourist map of Antwerp.
