Named after an old folklore tale about a giant who had his hand severed and thrown in the river, Antwerp is a city teeming with culture and diversity. Walking the streets, you may mistakingly believe that you are surrounded by the architecture of the golden age of Antwerpen in the 16th century, but the majority of the city was actually destroyed by the Spanish following the rise of Protestantism in 1576. The buildings that can be seen today are therefore mostly imitations that were constructed during the 19th century, but this does not at all take away from the atmosphere and beauty around every corner.