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Printers museum
Plantin Moretus

Museum Mayer van den Bergh-Maagdenhuis

Strolling to the Carolus Borromeus church

Rockoxhuis- Rubens tomb at St.Jacobskerk

Cogels-Osylei area, unique in the world (1)

Cogels Osy area, unique in the world (2)

Now an absolute must. Stop at the Vrijdagmarkt, nice cute small square that is dominated by the 18th century façade of the MUSEUM PLANTIN MORETUS. There is some magic in this vast house built around a garden and reuniting the ateliers and living spaces of the family Plantin and then Moretus, the greatest and finest pioneers of printers after Gutenberg. They will put the base of modern typography. And this magic will not only seduce those who are interested in the history and genesis of printing, books, maps and more. Coming from Touraine in France, Christophe Plantin established himself in 1548 in Antwerp, organized his printing atelier and library in this house in 1576. He printed 1860 books in “all the languages of the Christian world” and the prestige of the house became so great that king Philippe II of Spain promoted him to his official printer. Moretus, his son in law, continued his work, still imitated by his successors, who abdicated only in 1876. So we see that during three centuries, the same family printed and exported loads of bibles, breviaries and mass-books.
Try to come on a Friday when the “Vrijdagmarkt” is in full operation. A popular market, bargaining, selling, buying at the best possible price. The vendors, standing like barkers shout prices to make them rise like in a real exchange hall: folklore!!
Let’s look at the façade of the museum. The 18th century facade hides a beautiful patrician edifice. Transformed into a remarkable museum, every hall brings an essential element of the history of printing. Unique in its genre, the house is a remarkable illustration of the refinement of intellectual and cultural life in a fascinating period.
The interior has been very well remade as in the time of Plantin. Sumptuous apartments, hand presses, cases full of lead characters, printing material, fabulous private library and print cabinet.The correctors hall is full of ancient fine types.
Where do I feel the most emotion? I admit: it is in the shop-library, with its set of shelves, its wooden counter, its account book. You have the impression that the door will open and that a humanist will enter the boutique to ask for an exemplary of the last work of Justus Lipsius.
Don't be intimidated by the technical aspect: everything is very well explained in several languages.. And more, this museum presents the rarest and most valuable manuscripts and "enluminures" (coloured prints) and “incunables” like the famous bible "Biblia Regia or Biblia Polyglotta" in 5 languages (Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Syriac and Chaldean) dated 1572, as rare and beautiful as the Gutenberg bible, Mercator maps, an important, a magnificent Gutenberg bible.....You will be sensible to the slightly austere atmosphere, as it should be in a beautiful Flemish interior: walls covered with Cordoba leather, Audenaerde and Brussels tapestries, 18 Rubens paintings, sculptures, terracotta, porcelains, lacquered tables ivory encrusted, creaking floors, open fires covered with delft tiles, everything evokes the luxurious atmosphere from old times.

Of course you will have to see the characters room, the foundry, the master’s office and the 16th century library with 20,000 inestimable volumes! Here, everything is only refinement, luxury and intelligence. Don’t leave without having seen the interior courtyard.

Brussels	Antwerp	Ghent	Bruges
ANTWERP- Plantin Moretus printers museum-Unique in the world!!