Sten Castle

Castle in the center of Antwerp. The exact date of the appearance of the Castle of the Walls, like Antwerp itself, is unknown. Most likely, this happened not earlier than the 7th century. The walls of the castle were laid back in the 9th century. This is the most picturesque monument on the embankment of the Scheldt River and at the same time the oldest surviving remains of the settlement.
The castle once belonged to Gottfried of Bouillon, the famous leader of the first crusade. Later it became the seat of the city government. During the Spanish domination, the Inquisition was located here, which severely dealt with heretics, freethinkers and witches.
Currently, the castle houses the National Maritime Museum. In 1963, in front of the entrance to the castle, a monument was erected to Lanky Wapper, a character of Antwerp folklore, who, turning into a dwarf, then into a giant, frightened naughty children and drunks who lost their way.