Paleis op de Meir

Om museet

In 1745 the wealthy merchant Johan Alexander van Susteren had three properties on the Antwerp Meir demolished to build his dream palace. He died before the works were fully completed. Napoleon Bonaparte soon took an interest in the building; he had it refitted with French Empire furniture, but never stayed there. By the time it was finished, he was in exile on Elba. The next owner was King William I of the Netherlands, who had the Hall of the XVII Provinces installed there.

In 1829 the Antwerp artist Mattheus van Bree was commissioned to decorate three rooms; the Dutch Salon with twenty-three portraits is the centrepiece of that refurbishment. In 1830 the Belgian Revolution followed, and a new royal house came into possession of the palace. Leopold II was the last major remodeller: in 1905 he had a connecting gallery built as a winter garden, and he turned the first salons of the empress’s apartment into a mirror hall for festivities and banquets.

During a visit you see, among other things, the monumental oak staircase hall, the balcony room, the Blue Salon, the Dutch Salon, the empress’s salon, the emperor’s bedroom, the card room and the mirror hall. In 2026 the palace is open to individual visitors on Saturdays from 11 July to 7 November; in December it is one of the castles of Kerstmagie (Christmas Magic).

Højdepunkter

• Rococo staircase hall from the mid-18th century
• Empire apartments furnished for Napoleon
• Dutch Salon by Mattheus van Bree for William I
• Mirror hall and connecting gallery of Leopold II
• Balcony from which rulers greeted the people
• Kerstmagie (Christmas Magic) in December

Permanent udstilling

• Paleis op de Meir – Tour of the rococo and Empire interiors of the palace, with the staircase hall, balcony room, salons, the emperor’s bedroom and the mirror hall.

Ejer

Herita

Entrépriser & rabatter

Herita members are admitted free.

Tilgængelighed

• Kørestolsvenlig
• Elevator
• Handicaptoilet
• Handicapparkering: ingen oplysninger
• Servicehunde tilladt
• Taktile tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Rundvisninger på tegnsprog: ingen oplysninger
• Letlæste tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Synstolkning: ingen oplysninger

The palace is a historic building. Wheelchair users can take a lift to the first floor or the basement; a member of staff accompanies them. The accessible toilet is in the basement. Pets are not admitted; assistance dogs are.

Børn og familie

Museet har ikke offentliggjort oplysninger om dette.

Transport & parkering

Antwerp is a low-emission zone. The Velo 23 Rubenshuis bicycle station is nearby.

Service & spisesteder

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museumsbutik

The palace houses The Chocolate Line (chocolate; Tuesday to Saturday 09:30–18:30, Sunday and Monday 10:30–18:30) and The Bistro (daily 10:00–21:00).

Arrangementer & udlejning

• Lokaler til leje
• Private fester
• Firmaarrangementer

You can organise a dinner, reception, networking event or meeting in the palace.

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