Antwerp Trade Fair

The Antwerp Trade Fair is an events venue in the Belgian city of Antwerp, located in the Twaalfmaandenstraat, a side street of the Meir. It encompasses the building of the Bourse of Antwerp, which has been described as "the mother of all stock exchanges".[1] From 1531 to 1661 it was the site of the world's first dedicated commodity exchange, and after extensive renovations it housed the Antwerp stock exchange from 1872 until 1997.

The neo-gothic stock exchange in Antwerp, ca. 1886 (drawing by Maxime Lalanne)

After the 1997 merger of the Antwerp stock exchange with the Brussels stock exchange, and the advent of online trading, the exchange building in Antwerp fell into disuse, with various proposals to redevelop the building going nowhere for fifteen years. The investment file started moving again in October 2013, after a new partner was found: the Marriott hotel chain. A heritage budget was also released from the Flemish government for the restoration of the Bourse.[2] In October 2014, it was announced that the new building application for the project was approved by the city of Antwerp.[3] But at the beginning of December 2014, it became known that various local residents had appealed to the permanent deputation of the province against the building permit. In April 2015, the province confirmed the building permit on the condition of a few adjustments to meet the concerns of local residents.[4] The hotel is currently expected to open in spring 2020.[5]

In February 2016, as part of excavations to convert the site into a Marriott Hotel, various archaeological finds were made. Floor levels, walls and a fireplace/oven from the late Middle Ages were found. Pile pits were also found under a number of walls that probably point to medieval timber construction. Dark gray sand was also found, indicating medieval garden and / or agriculture. The most remarkable find, however, was the discovery of some urns dating from the Iron Age. When the excavations and archaeological investigation are completed, an underground parking garage would be built under the former Bourse.[6]