Central Station

Antwerp Central Station (Antwerpen-Centraal) is the main railway station in the Belgian city of Antwerp. The station is widely regarded as the finest example of railway architecture in Belgium and one of the most beautiful train stations in the world.

Constructed between 1895 and 1905, it replaced the original terminus of the Brussels-Mechelen-Antwerp railway. The stone-clad building, designed by Louis Delacenserie, boasts a vast dome and an eclectic style that borrows from multiple architectural eras, leading locals to affectionately dub it the "Railway Cathedral" (Spoorwegkathedraal). The magnificent glass and iron train hall, which spans the tracks, was designed by engineer Clement Van Bogaert.

In the late 20th century, the station's capacity was heavily constrained by its layout as a terminal station. A massive reconstruction project, completed in 2007, transformed it by adding a tunnel that allows high-speed trains to pass through the city, creating multiple levels of tracks. Today, it remains not only a critical transportation hub but a breathtaking attraction that captures the grandeur of Antwerp's golden age of railway travel.