Antwerp - The Avenues

Between 1540 and 1543 massive ramparts incorporating 10 bastions and walls up to 10m/33ft high were constructed to form a defensive ring around the city on its eastern side.

These have since been replaced by broad avenues (the Flemish for avenue is "lei") which separate Old Antwerp from the New Town. The northernmost of these avenues, Italiëlei, extends from the docks in the north to Franklin Rooseveltplein, passing the entrance to the Scheldt road tunnel at Tunnelplaats en route. On the south side of Franklin Rooseveltplein Italiëlei becomes Frankrijklei, crossed at Tenierplaats by the road linking Centraal Station to the city center.