Archaeologists of the burials on the Antwerp Scheldt quays have uncovered engravings as part of the reconstruction of the cellars and foundations of the costume St. Michael’s Abbey. Remarkable was the discovery of 20 coins and a fibula (pin) from Roman times. This north date, the Roman presence was not limited from the area to the later, as we do before, says Mayor Bart De Wever (N-VA).

Older than the cathedral

The Abbey of St. Michael was founded in the 12th century, which makes it even older than the Cathedral of Our Lady. In the Middle Ages, it was one of the most powerful abbeys in the wider region, which naturally led to conflicts with the city council and other rulers.

Today, nothing of this can be seen on the Scheldt quays: Napoleon first had the monasteries closed in the early 19th century, and in 1830 a brand destroyed what had still been created.

Two Gallo-Roman settlements at the base?

Archaeological excavations in the context of the reconstruction of the quays once brought back the foundations of what once was (even) to the surface. ‘We have of course found the remnants of the genesis, but the problem is that we have also obtained new developments about the origin of our city,’ says De Wever. ‘Possibly Antwerp came from the amalgamation of two Gallo-Roman settlements and not one, or even one was built here than the one north of the Steen. Historians are now getting to work with those questions.’

Sports and play areas

Now that the excavations are over, the actual work on the public domain will start on 1 March. By the spring of 2023, the quay zone next to the Sint-Michielskaai will include sports and play areas and a skate park, and extra greenery will be added on the ‘wet’ side – the flood area next to the Scheldt.

The foundations of the abbey have been put back underground.

Archaeologists of the burials on the Antwerp Scheldt quays have uncovered engravings as part of the reconstruction of the cellars and foundations of the costume St. Michael’s Abbey. Remarkable was the discovery of 20 coins and a fibula (pin) from Roman times. This north contains that the Roman presence was not limited, as we until before kortab’, as we until before kortab’, as we until before kortab’, St Michael’s time was founded in the 12th century, which makes it a lot older then make the Cathedral of Our Lady. In the Middle Ages, it was one of the most powerful abbeys in the wider region, which naturally led to conflicts with the city council and other rulers. Today, nothing of this can be seen on the Scheldt quays: Napoleon first had the monasteries closed in the early 19th century, and in 1830 a brand destroyed what had still been created. Archaeological excavations in the context of the reconstruction of the quays once brought back the foundations of what once was (even) to the surface. ‘We have of course found the remnants of the genesis, but the problem is that we have also obtained new developments about the origin of our city,’ says De Wever. ‘Possibly Antwerp came from the amalgamation of two Gallo-Roman settlements and not one, or even one was built here than the one north of the Steen. Historians are now getting to work with those questions.’ Now that the excavations are over, the actual work on the public domain will start on 1 March. By the spring of 2023, the quay zone next to the Sint-Michielskaai will include sports and play areas and a skate park, and extra greenery will be added on the ‘wet’ side – the flood area next to the Scheldt. The foundations of the abbey have been put back underground.