Antwerpen Centraal Station

The railway cathedral of Antwerpen

Antwerpen-Centraal is no ordinary station. It is one of the most impressive railway buildings in the world, and the nickname 'railway cathedral' is well earned. The central hall with its steel dome, marble floors and richly decorated facades gives you as a photographer an enormous amount to work with. Whether you are shooting architecture or people in motion, this place delivers.

Light and timing

The interior works throughout the year, but the best light falls in the morning. Indirect daylight enters through the large windows in the dome, creating soft, diffuse illumination across the hall. Travellers with suitcases, families saying goodbye, people hurrying towards a platform: the human activity presents itself naturally. Come early on a weekday if you want the hall a little quieter, though the station is never truly empty. Sometimes that is exactly what makes it work.

Compositions and focal lengths

Wide works well here. With a 16mm or 24mm you can capture the dome and the marble floor in a single frame. Pay attention to the symmetry: the hall invites it. Shoot from the centre, look up, and use the lines of the ceiling as leading elements. A longer focal length, around 50mm or 85mm, is useful when you want to isolate people against the architecture behind them. The platforms are worth exploring too: the steel structures above the tracks create an industrial contrast with the baroque hall.

Practical information

The station is located on Koningin Astridplein in the centre of Antwerpen. The easiest way to park is in one of the nearby car parks, as space directly around the station is limited. The station is accessible 24 hours a day, and shooting without a tripod is straightforward. A tripod can attract the attention of security staff, especially if you stay in one spot for a while. Shooting handheld at a higher ISO is the simpler solution. For commercial shoots you will need permission from Infrabel, the manager of the Belgian railway network.

Sources and further reading

• Infrabel (beheerder Belgische spoorweginfrastructuur)
• NMBS – Antwerpen-Centraal stationsinformatie
• Visit Antwerpen – Centraal Station
• Wikipedia – Antwerpen-Centraal