In 1875, a plan to develop a new neighborhood south of Antwerp was approved by the city council. In 1878, a competition was organized to design a new Art Museum in the middle of this neighborhood, known as 't Zuid (Southside).

The old museum, situated in the north of Antwerp was destroyed by a fire. The competition Royal Museum of Fine Arts

resulted in a compromise where Jan Jacob Winders, the Antwerp architect who also designed a large statue in the new neighborhood, defined most of the exterior design. The interior was designed by Hendrik Frans Van Dijk.

A Temple for the Arts

The museum, built as a temple for the Arts (similar to museums in Munich and Dresden) between 1884 and 1890 replaced an old Spanish Castle. It was one of the main attractions of the 1894 Antwerp World Exposition.

The temple is decorated with Corinthian columns and adorned by 2 large statues, depicting a teams of horses in copper. The statues were built in 1905 after Lambermont sq.

a design from Thomas Vincotte. Originally the museum had 4 open courts, but those were roofed in the twenties.

Museum Collection

The museum houses a large collection of paintings from the 14th century onwards.
Antwerp's most important painters - Rubens, Van Dijck and Jordaens - make up an important part of the museum's very rich collection.

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