Fortifications of Antwerp

Only some remains of the first city wall can be seen near the Vleeshuis museum at the corner of Bloedberg and Burchtgracht, and a replica of a burg (castle) named Steen has been partly rebuilt near the Scheldt-quais during the 19th century.

Since the Treaty of Verdun (843) the river Scheldt was the natural and political border between the County of Flanders (belonging to the Kingdom of France) to the west and the Holy Roman Empire.

The enceinte within the wall was about 2.5 hectares (270,000 sq ft) in size, and contained 3 streets: the old Steenstraat (the current ramp leading to the het Steen building), the Zakstraat and the Mattestraat, and there was a square : the Burgplein.

The rivershore sloped steeply into the river at the south and west of the wharf and more gently at the northside (the quays in the drawings to the right were constructed at a later date).

The Holenrui was filled up again, which meant there was no waterpassage between the end of the Kool- or Kolenvliet (a current street, name Koolkaai) and the Minderbroedersui and Koepoortbridge.

In order to create a passage to the Minderbroedersrui 3 new canals were dug around the monastery, the Verversrui, Falconrui and one of which the name has disappeared from the maps.

At the end of the 13th century (1295) John II, Duke of Brabant decided to create new fortifications, which made the city grow to 156 hectares (0.60 sq mi).

Modern Antwerp's broad city-center boulevard (Italielei, Frankrijklei, Britselei and Amerikalei[7]) marks the position of the original (second) Spanish fortifications.

A new enceinte 8 miles (13 km) long was constructed, and the villages of Berchem and Borgerhout, now boroughs of Antwerp, were absorbed within the city.

Antwerp was transformed into a fortified position by constructing an outer line of forts and batteries 6 to 9 miles (14 km) from the enceinte.