Up until the 17th century, Antwerp was known by the name of 'Hantwerpen'.
Legend goes that there was a giant called Antigoon who controlled the bend in the River Scheldt . He demanded a heavy toll from each passing shipmaster and those who refused to pay had a hand chopped off.
Finally, a Roman soldier, Silvius Brabo, brought an end to this by killing the giant, cutting off his hand and throwing it into the river and that's where the city's name comes from ... 'Hantwerpen' or 'hand throwing'.
Antwerp sculptor Jef Lambeaux, 1887.
I left New Zealand mid-2003, bound for Istanbul and a new lif. After two years, a Belgian guy lured me into his world, deep in the heart of Europe. For a long time I was an in-process immigrant. One day we married. These days it's about photography, a little red wine and wandering ... and so the journey goes.
Antwerpenaren are show-offs. Like they really slaid a giant, they probably tricked someone from my village to do it for them.
ReplyDeleteYou just have got to love the village-against-village mentality :D
Well er-hemmmm, they did have a Roman soldier come in and do it ;)
ReplyDeleteOh the village-against-village thing isn't so bad ... I've been known to give the rugby region-against-region cry on occasions - as in 'Otaaaago!'
Although we don't have football hooligans, not even at the rugby which is more than Antwerp can say, eh wot.