Carolus Borromeus Church

The church was designed by the Jesuits François d'Aguilon and Pieter Huyssens and built between 1614 and 1621. Lightning struck the church in 1718, starting a fire which destroyed much of the interior. It was soon restored by J.P. Van Baurscheit I, but much of the interior, including the original marble and 39 ceiling paintings by P.P. Rubens were lost.

The Carolus Borromeus Church was sold by the Jesuits in 1733, and it became a separate parish church in 1803. The building was restored several times in the 19th and 20th century.

The interior, much of which was originally designed by P.P. Rubens, includes a monumental pulpit which is located in the middle of the nave. Eight confessional boxes are built-in the panellings of the side walls. The baroque church also includes several sculptures and wood carvings.

The small square at the Carolus Borromeus church became the first pedestrian zone in Antwerp after a lot of protests against cars in the city center during the sixties and seventies. At the square, you'll find the statue of the writer Hendrik Conscience, after whom the square was named.