Chambre Du Commerce
Chambre de Commerce is a breathtaking stock exchange building in Antwerp, a reconstruction built in 1872. The original building, the mother of all stock exchanges was built in 1531 in late gothic style by Joseph Schadde for emperor Karel. Fires in 1583 & 1858 destroyed the original building twice. Trading was mainly with Spanish and Portugese merchants. In 1585 it was reconstructed as a theatre house, between 1661-1810 it was used as a drawing academy, stock exchange, trading marineschool and a courthouse. In 1830 it was even a prison temporary, after the fire of 1958 a circus performed at the ruin. Between 1868-1872 the current dome was built. Since 2003 this building got closed cause of fire safety and it got abandoned and neglected for about 20 years. In 2016 renovation started finally, it will be transformed to a luxury hotel with restaurant and parking underground.