Antwerp Central Station
On Gingerguide's self-guided Antwerp audio tour, Antwerp Central Station is a stop worth about ~30 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type landmark
- Suggested visit ~30 min
- Antwerp Antwerp guide
About Antwerp Central Station
The 'Railway Cathedral', Antwerp's stunning 1905 Neo-Baroque train station, consistently voted the world's most beautiful, with four underground levels and a soaring glass dome.
Antwerp Central Station, Antwerpen-Centraal, is widely considered the most beautiful railway station in the world. Built between 1895 and 1905 under the direction of architect Louis Delacenserie, the station's extraordinary Neo-Baroque interior rivals the grandest civic buildings of its era, with a soaring central dome 75 metres high, richly decorated facades in twenty different types of marble, and a monumental staircase of imperial proportions.
The station was originally a terminal station, all lines ended here. In the 2000s, a massive engineering project created four underground levels, transforming it into a through-station while preserving the historic building completely intact. The contrast between the ornate 1905 stonework above and the ultra-modern underground infrastructure below is extraordinary. The station is adjacent to the Diamond District and the Zoo, making this corner of the city particularly rewarding to explore.
Did you know? Antwerp Central Station is consistently voted the world's most beautiful railway station, earning it the nickname 'Railway Cathedral.'
How much time do you need at Antwerp Central Station?
Around ~30 min works well for Antwerp Central Station — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Antwerp Central Station?
Yes — Antwerp Central Station made the cut as one of 22 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Antwerp. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Antwerp
Hear the story of Antwerp Central Station
Preview the Antwerp tour free in the Gingerguide app.