Paleis op de Meir, Royal palace at Meir Avenue, Antwerp, Belgium
Paleis op de Meir is a Rococo city palace on the Meir, Antwerp's main shopping street, with an ornate stone facade and a symmetrical layout. Inside, it has large rooms with gilded details, decorated ceilings, and furniture from the 18th and early 19th centuries.
The building was constructed in the mid-1700s for a wealthy Antwerp merchant and changed hands several times over the following decades. Napoleon bought it in the early 1800s and had it furnished to his taste, though he never stayed there himself.
The name of the palace comes from the Meir, the busy shopping street where it stands, and this contrast between a historic building and everyday city life is still noticeable today. The ground floor houses shops, including a well-known chocolate maker, which draws many visitors into the building without them even planning a formal visit.
The palace can be visited through guided tours, and booking in advance is a good idea since groups tend to be small. Even without a tour, the ground floor with its shops is freely accessible and gives a sense of the building from the inside.
Although Napoleon bought the palace and had it furnished for his use, he never once set foot inside it. Some of the furniture and decorations chosen for him are still on display today.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
