Archaeological remains of 16th century citadel under the Royal Museum of Fine Arts
During foundation works for the renovation and extension of the KMSKA, the archaeologists of the Flemish Government got the opportunity to dig trenches to research remnants of foundations of part of a citadel.
The citadel was a pentagonal fortification build in the 16th century as a Spanish means of repression against the rebellion of the Habsburgs Netherlands, in particular the city of Antwerp.
1830 marked another Belgian – Dutch historical event when the site was the last rampart of the Dutch before they were forced to leave by French armies, finalizing the inevitable Dutch – Belgian split.
The citadel was leveled to make the 19th century extension of Antwerp: Het Zuid. One of the central buildings of this extension was the KMSKA.
More information can be found in the museum blog.
photo credits: cover Jesse Willems, 2. Heritage archive, 3. Antwerpen Stadsarchief
