Antwerpen Grote Markt

Why the Antwerp Grote Markt works so well as a photo location

The combination of the town hall, the guild houses and the Brabo Fountain makes this square one of the most complete architectural compositions in the Low Countries. Everything is close together. You don't need to walk far to make a strong image. That's convenient, but it also means you have to make deliberate choices about what you include and what you leave out.

The town hall dates from the sixteenth century and is a textbook example of Brabantine Renaissance architecture. The guild houses alongside it, each with their own façade and crowning feature, add rhythm to your framing. The Brabo Fountain sits at the centre of the square and is a natural anchor point for your composition, but be careful not to use it as a default foreground element without really thinking it through.

Blue hour gives you the most to work with

This square works best during the blue hour, just after sunset. The façades are lit by artificial light while the sky still holds a deep blue colour. That balance between warm artificial light and cool daylight creates atmosphere without tipping into the theatrical. Arrive early, because the blue hour only lasts around fifteen to twenty minutes.

With a wide-angle lens, say 16mm to 24mm on full frame, you can fit the town hall and part of the guild houses into a single frame. If you want more distance and less distortion, use a 35mm or 50mm and shoot a series of partial views. Those also lend themselves well to street photographs where people and architecture play off each other.

Practical

The square is busy with tourists throughout the year. Early in the morning and just before the terraces close for the evening it tends to be quieter. There are no permit requirements for photography for personal use. Commercial shoots on assignment sometimes require coordination with the city of Antwerpen. Your best option for parking is one of the car parks on the edge of the city centre, as the centre is largely car-free. The square itself is easily reached via the pre-metro stop Groenplaats.

In winter, when Christmas lights are up, the atmosphere changes completely. More colour, more people, more energy. Whether that suits you depends on what you're after. For architectural purists, a clear evening in spring or autumn without extra decoration is often the stronger option.

Sources and further reading

• Stad Antwerpen, officiële website
• Toerisme Antwerpen, Grote Markt
• Wikipedia, Grote Markt Antwerpen