I climbed to the top of Antwerp Cathedral yesterday. No, it’s not what you think: you cannot just buy an entrance ticket and leisurely walk up to the top of this 123 m (400 feet) monument as if it were a Disneyland attraction. As this 700 yo cathedral tower is not open to the average walk-in tourist, it involved quite a lot of planning. You ascend over an endlessly revolving, ever so narrow, spiral, seven century old staircase, step-by-step, along with 15 others and a qualified guide. The experience is quite exclusive: 16 participants, once a week, only during the summer vacation.
Appropriate shoes, a bottle of water, the ability to climb 400 feet, sanitary precautions (there are no toilets on top of a cathedral tower 
) and no fear of heights or elevated open spaces are essential. The 700 yo Antwerp cathedral staircase is too narrow to allow for simultaneous ascending/descending visitors: we were briefed extensively on the do’s and dont’s during this exclusive experience.
The whole experience (neglecting the gray, rainy Belgian weather at 18°C/65°F) was a dream come trough: as I can see Antwerp cathedral 24/24 from my living room, actually climbing it was a real thrill. The best part of it all? Facing the huge bells (some weighing over 6 tons), along with watching the inside of a impressive carillon I can hear hourly. Although the Antwerp cathedral bells are partially computer-controlled these days, the carillon is not, with weekly live performances of classic masterpieces, resounding over the entire historic Antwerp downtown. I videotaped part of the climb and subsequent skyline views, but for the time being I hope you enjoy these pictures (please click to enlarge).
This blog is not affiliated with or endorsed by the city of Antwerp, Belgium.
oh my gosh - what a view!!!
that’s unbelievable
[Blog author: "It was quite an experience Van, especially when the wind and rain started to blow in my face at 400 feet above ground. I'd love to do it again on a clear sunny day"]
Comment by furiousball — July 10, 2008 @ 9:33 pm
I like how you sneaked in the photo of your s-o. *grins* And heights make me want to jump, I get vertigo something awful!!!
[Blog author: "I just love how perceptive you are Claudia - I'd have thought nobody would spot it
As for heights: "please don't lean against anything" the guide cautioned, "this is not an attraction. Stones may collapse, and so will you". Trust me, we all really behaved. "]
Comment by Claudia — July 10, 2008 @ 10:02 pm
I am envious beyond words
in the nicest possible way. Beautiful photographs, as usual.
I think I might just put that on my to-do list for the holidays. See you on Saturday
[Blog author: "Thanks Di. I only regret it started to rain, turning the "look, that's the nuclear power plants at the Dutch border" panoramic views into boring gray pictures. Well, I can start processing them, but real sunshine makes for much better shots. I'll mail you who to contact if you plan on checking if they still have places available. The Antwerp cathedral tower can only be climbed on Wednesdays during the summer (a group of 16) upon prior paid reservation. See you on Saturday!"]
Comment by Di — July 10, 2008 @ 10:59 pm
Wow. these are awesome, Peter, and what a great experience for you guys! (I saw your SO, too, BTW. LOL) Great shots. Now you will have a completely different experience when you see the cathedral and hear the bells/carillon because you’ve been “up close and personal” with it. Sort of like listening to music and then seeing the performer live. Each time thereafter you hear and see the live performance in your mind when you play the music. 700 years old. Obviously nothing in the US compares to that history. My MIL’s house amazes folks here, being built in 1802. Thanks so much for sharing this experience and I look forward to the video!
[Blog author: "My pleasure Shirley. You know, I'd planned this one year beforehand: as the number of visitors is extremely limited each summer, I missed out on the experience last year. It's true: I had imagined what it would look like, but reality caught up with me. I'd love to share the video, although some rather violent winds and a chilly downpour messed up the sound and much of the view when we reached the top. Today the Dutch speaking part of Belgium is celebrating the "11th of July" (it feels like your independence day) but we're facing rain and temperatures barely reaching 70°F. Much like our weird politics, Belgian summers are very unpredictable. "]
Comment by Shirley — July 11, 2008 @ 3:26 am
Great photos. I’d have been pretty shaky up that high,I think, so thanks for letting me go up there with you from the comfort of my PC.
[Blog author: "Thanks Simon. It's a weird experience indeed: this cathedral tower was obviously never built for tourists, so some visitors in our group felt uncomfortable when they stepped outside the narrow staircase. We weren't allowed to go "all the way": for the last 20m there's only a metal ladder."]
Comment by simon — July 11, 2008 @ 11:02 am
Great shots, and that church is an absolutely gorgeous piece of architecture.
Hmm…That one view of the city, second pic, I could swear I saw that view in the original Willy Wonka movie.
[Blog author: "That's a great compliment, Mr. Nighttime. You know, I saw that '71 Willy Wonka movie too and your comment made me reflect on the resemblance. Over here, it's all very real, but trust me, only a limited part of the historic Antwerp downtown is this impressive
As soon as you move 1 mile outside this historic area it all looks quite common, and basically, you could be anywhere, in any nondescript city. I think the shot showing the leftbank across the river illustrates my point. "]
Comment by Mr. Nighttime — July 11, 2008 @ 4:26 pm