Page 161 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Belgium & Luxembourg

ANT WERP  159

A 60-Minute Walk Around
Cogels-Osylei

The most famous street in the district of Zurenborg in southern
Antwerp, Cogels-Osylei developed as a home of the wealthy
between 1894 and 1906. Local architects designed mansions
using a vast range of styles: Gothic, Byzantine, Baroque, Neo-
Classical, a fusion of historic influences (Eclectic style), and even
the newly minted Art Nouveau. With mosaics, statues, turrets 5 Pure lines and white shades at the
and iron work, the houses can be palatial, artistic or splendidly mansion at Cogels-Osylei 32–36
flamboyant. The most strik ing cha racteristic is the extraordinary
individuality expressed in such a concentrated area. at 32–36 5, dominated by
French Neo-Classical taste and
built between 1897 and 1899.
1898, it is named Boreas 3, Next is De Huize Zonnebloem
after the Greek god of the north (The Sunflower House) 6. Art
wind, and has an unusual Nouveau-style organic shapes
projecting oriel window. cover this pretty mansion
Continue till the Tramplein designed in 1900. Many other
and take the first right turn. styles are seen down the road,
ending at Uitbreidingsstraat.
Cogels-Osylei Draakplaats
A set of contrasting houses line Dageraadplaats
up at the turn into Cogles- TRAM- 250 metres (270 yards)
PLEIN
Osylei. De Zevensterre (The
Seven Stars) 4, at No. 17,
2 Decorative summer mosaic on one of has turrets and gables. PRETORIASTRAAT
the four De Vier Seizoenen Further down, at a
roundabout, is COGELS-OSYLEI
Waterloostraat the white palace
Beginning at Guldenvliesstraat,
walk straight up Waterloostraat
till De Slag van Waterloo (The
Battle of Waterloo) house 1, V E LO D R O O M
which has Art Nouveau ironwork GENERAAL
and a mosaic commemorating T R A N S V A A L S T R A AT
the battle as well as profiles of CAPIAUMONTSTR S T R A AT
Wellington and Napoleon. At the
cross roads is a quartet of houses
by Joseph Bascourt (1863–1927). GENERAAL VAN MERIENSTRAAT
Known as De Vier Seizoenen
(The Four Sea sons) 2, each COGELS-OSYLEI
has an Art Nouveau mosaic
depicting a season. Take a right WATERLOOSTRAAT
turn at the end of the street.
0 metres 100
Transvaalstraat 0 yards 100 GULDENVLIESSTRAAT UITBREIDINGSTRAAT
Another Bascourt house stands Berchem
on the left at No. 56. Built in
Key Antwerpen-Berchem Station
200 metres (220 yards)
Walk route
Tips for Walkers
Starting point: Guldenvliesstraat
and Waterloostraat junction.
Length: 2 km (1.5 miles).
Getting there: Bus 9, 20 or Tram
6, 11 to Cogels-Osylei, a short
walk from Guldenvliesstraat.
Cafés and restaurants: Try
Dageraadplaats, which is 200 m
(660 ft) to the north of Tramplein.
1 Horseshoe arches and Art Nouveau ironwork at De Slag van Waterloo
For keys to symbols see back flap

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