Werf/Wharf

Submitted by jurgen on Thu, 07/09/2015 - 10:29

Until the sixteenth century, this wharf was the main place to load and unload ships in Antwerp. There used to be a wooden crane on the wharf, which explains its name, “Kranenhoofd”. The crane was operated by so-called “kraankinderen”, labourers who unloaded the cargo from the ships. The Werf was the responsibility of the city and was divided from the fortress by a stone fortress wall and a gatehouse. In 1579, the medieval gate was replaced by Werfpoort Gate. This was built using demolition material that was recovered from the citadel. Like the fortress church, the gateway was demolished in 1815 to build Sint-Walburgisplein Square.

Link: 
Credits for the illustrations
GISid: 
039
Afbeelding: 
Overview of the fortress
The wharf in a seventeenth-century painting (Bonnecroy)
The wharf in a seventeenth-century painting (B. Peeters)
The wharf in a sixteenth-century painting of the Scheldt quays
Plan of the nineteenth-century wharf
“Reception of St. Norbert on the wharf”
“Navigation under icy conditions on the Scheldt’ (B. Peeters), seventeenth century
New Year’s wishes of the crane operators (J. Jongelinx)
Latitude: 
51.22
Longitude: 
4.40
Meer info: 
Burcht van Antwerpen

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