Local before arrival
A meditative stillness sets in upon entering this small cobblestones square, named for the Flemish author Hendrik Conscience. Back in the ’60s, when “pedestrian zone” was a foreign concept, this spot was the first area in Antwerp to be declared “car free” after protests about the poor air quality. The baroque church St. Charles Borromeo, a legacy of Rubens, who painted the ceilings and altarpieces, adds to the majesty of the square.
