Handelsbeurs Antwerpen - Past & Present

With the support of Handelsbeurs Antwerpen nv, Tanguy Ottomer wrote this tribute to the Stock Exchange of Antwerp: to its glorious history, its breathtaking architecture and its welcoming future. Handelsbeurs Antwerpen – Past & Present is a beautiful and elegant publication with a luxurious finish, presenting unique images and stories.

The Stock Exchange (Handelsbeurs) plays an important part in the history of Antwerp. The original building dates from the 16th century; the current building is from the 19th century, and was built after two fires on the foundations of the first one. From 2003 onwards the impressive building was vacant for quite some time, until October 2019, when the breathtaking Stock Exchange opened its doors again, after a thorough renovation.

In Tanguy Ottomer's book you learn all about the history of the Stock Exchange. The book also contains chapters about the remarkable architecture of the Stock and the Shipping Exchange, the impressive renovation and the glorious future that awaits the site as a public meeting space, a location for events, a restaurant and a hotel. 

All these stories about ‘the mother of all exchanges’ are lavishly illustrated with archive photos (eg. from Antwerp's FelixArchive and private collections) as well as recent images. They reveal a breathtakingly beautiful historic gem in all its glory, which now shines brighter than ever. 

About the author:

‘Professional Antwerpian’ Tanguy Ottomer is Antwerp’s best-known city guide as well as its most enthusiastic ambassador. His original city tours and unique, spontaneous style have earned him a lot of praise in Belgium and abroad. CNN named him “one of the 7 savviest tour guides in the world” while the Flanders Tourist Organisation voted him the best tourism ambassador of Flanders. He is the author of several books about the history of Antwerp, such as the ‘t Stad van Vroeger series.