Meir Palace

The staircase

The way to impress guests in the 18th century was with a stunning façade and grand staircase. And making an impression must certainly have been the intention of the builder Alexander van Susteren. The monumental oak staircase dates back to when the palace was built (mid 18th century). This is clear from the rococo patterns on the panelling and stairs. The wrought iron balustrade was renovated during the rule of Leopold II (1856-1909).

The balcony room

In the time of Napoleon, the entire first floor was furnished as an imperial apartment. The balcony room is the first room of five chambers and served as a waiting room in those days. The decoration is empire style. Before the time of Napoleon, there were stairs leading to the belvedere from this room. From this small roof terrace you could enjoy a magnificent view across the city.

The balcony played an important role in the history of the Paleis op de Meir. It is where monarchs and dignitaries appeared to greet and be greeted by the people, starting with the Russian tsar Alexander. On 29 June 1814, when Napoleon was exiled in Elba, he moved into the newly furnished palace. On the very same day he appeared on the balcony to greet the people of Antwerp. The start of a long tradition.

The blue lounge

In the 18th century, this lounge was decorated in blue. William I planned to use it as a dining room in which the work of contemporary artists could also be displayed. However, he was not king for long enough to realise this ambition. The present wall silk covering is a reproduction. It was made using ancient techniques, in Lyon factories that are still in existence today. The Blue Lounge is the only room on the first floor to contain an original 18th-century marble mantelpiece, complete with its original cast-iron fireplace.  

The Dutch lounge

In 1829, Antwerp's artist and director of the Antwerp Academy, Matthieu van Bree, was commissioned by King William I to decorate three chambers. This auditorium was the highlight of the renovation. Twenty-three portraits of famous men, most from the North Netherlands, illustrate the glorious past of the United Netherlands. The names appear in French, as the court language in those days. In order to further emphasise the monarch's magnificence, van Bree included a bas relief in each of the four walls, depicting a memorable fact from Dutch history. Van Bree completed the decoration of the corner lounge in July 1830. Less than a month later, the Belgian revolution broke out. William I would never even see the renovated lounge.

The empress' lounge

Under Napoleon, four apartments were created in the Paleis op de Meir. Each apartment had a set of lounges, culminating in a bedroom. Following Napoleon's renovations, the left wing on the first floor became the Empress' apartment. Of the original apartment, only one lounge and the bedroom remain. The restored blue curtains date back to the early 20th century and are therefore more than 100 years old.

The small empire lounge

When Napoleon commissioned the palace renovations, he was set on the empire style. You can see that clearly in this room. Furniture, chandeliers, clocks and other decorative items were crafted in Paris or came from the royal palace in Amsterdam. Many chairs in the palace display the name Jacob Desmalter, a prestigious brand from Paris. Most of this furniture has returned to the Paleis op de Meir. The murals and painting on the ceiling date back to the time of Leopold II, along with the curtains and coal scuttles.

The emperor's bedroom

Napoleon was used to sleeping on a camp bed, but furnished the bedroom in his Antwerp apartment with a normal bed, not knowing he would never actually sleep there. The furnishing was done in empire style. The room to the left of Napoleon's bedroom was his cabinet room. In the Belgian era this room was the queen's bedroom.

The bathroom

When you imagine a palace, you think of luxury and grandeur, yet for a long time the sanitary facilities remained primitive. It was not until the start of the 20th century that Leopold II added two modern bathrooms. One of these bathrooms can still be found in the palace. It is a simple washroom with a bath and toilet, adjoining the emperor's bedroom.

The maps cabinet

This room was originally a children's bedroom, and was divided with wooden partitions. In Napoleon's day, a new fireplace made of breccia marble was installed. Storage cupboards were also built to hold atlases and military maps. Napoleon intended using this room for discussions with his officers, but that never actually happened. In 1812, when selling the palace, his imperial star was already tarnished. Three years later, he was defeated for good at Waterloo.

Although this room now looks empty, in 1814 it was filled with metres of green silk fabric. The wall library was completely concealed behind heavy silk curtains and, in front of the windows, fabric was draped over gilt curtain rails, reaching a grand total of more than 90 m² of fabric!

The connecting gallery

Leopold II was the last person to significantly remodel the Paleis op de Meir. In 1905, he commissioned architect Octave Flanneau to build a connecting gallery between the left and right wings. In fact, it was an old plan already, probably from the time of Napoleon. Originally, the right wing had a tea chamber looking over the courtyard, and the left wing contained a library. Both chambers disappeared due to the building of the connecting gallery, which was designed as a winter garden.

The fact that Leopold II commissioned the work was clear from the monograms he had incorporated. You can also recognise the star motif of Congo Free State, which was the monarch's personal property at the time. Three years after building this gallery, the Independent State of Congo was annexed by Belgium as a direct result of international criticism of the atrocities that took place there under the regime of Leopold II.

The hall of mirrors

During a visit to Italy, Leopold II was enchanted by the ballroom in the palace belonging to the princes of Borromeo, located on Lago Maggiore. He arranged for the first two chambers in the empress' apartment at the palace in Antwerp to be transformed into a large hall of mirrors for parties and banquets. The ceiling was raised and replaced with barrel vaulting. The room bathes in light blue and gold and the ceiling decorations are inspired by ancient times.

The fact that Leopold II commissioned the work was clear from the monograms he had incorporated. You can also recognise the star motif of Congo Free State, which was the monarch's personal property at the time. In 1908, the region was annexed by Belgium as a direct result of international criticism of the atrocities that took place under his regime.