The KBC Tower (Europe's tallest skyscraper until 1952) and the main shopping street in Antwerp, Belgium


The Boerentoren (English: Farmers' Tower) or KBC Tower is the tallest building and the second tallest structure in Antwerp, Belgium (after the Cathedral of Our Lady). The building was constructed between 1929 and 1932 and was originally metres (287 ft) high. It is considered one of the first skyscrapers in Europe; it was the tallest in Europe until 1952, and the tallest in Belgium from 1932 to 1967 (currently 18th tallest). In 1954 the tower was extended with an antenna which reached to a total height of m (369 ft). In 1976, the roof of the tower was raised by m (27 ft), and the current roof height is therefore m (314 ft). The building is in Art-deco style and was designed by Jan Van Hoenacker. It is called the Farmers' Tower because the Antwerp Farmer's Bank had their headquarters here right after its construction and the majority of their clients consisted of farmers. During the economic crisis of the 1930s the bank went bankrupt. It was the predecessor of the KBC bank which is why it is also called the KBC tower.


Size: 3744px × 5616px
Location: KBC Tower, Schoenmarkt 35, 2000 Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium, Western Europe
Photo credit: © DE ROCKER / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1931, 20th-century, antwerp, architecture, art, art-deco, attraction, bank, banking, belgian, belgium, blue, building, commercial, construction, deco, facade, financial, flanders, flemish, high, highest, kbc, landmark, logo, market, meir, office, offices, rise, roof, shopping, sky, skyscraper, steel, stone, street, structure, sunny, symbol, tourism, tourist, trees, visitor, white