
Karbonkelhouse
architect unknown
Antwerp, Groenplaats 33
1520 – 1522
Karbonkelhouse
There is a beautiful facade on the Groenplaats, a bit hidden. It is a very early example of Renaissance architecture in Antwerp. The name ‘Karbonkel’ refers to the diamond heads on the facade of the ground floor. In the beginning, the facade of the ground floor was completely set with diamond heads, but due to various renovations over the centuries, they can now only be seen at the base of the columns.
Renaissance
The Renaissance started in Italy in the fifteenth century and was based on Ancient Greek and Roman architecture. Classic elements were used. In the Karbonkel house you have grotesques and arabesques scattered around the pilasters, in other words the decoration on the columns is typical Renaissance. The red-pink shade is not original, it was applied during restorations in 1990 – 1994.
Willem Heda
The building was built in the early sixteenth century for Willem Heda. There are a few small memories of this period in the interior, such as the initials WH that stand for the owner. These initials were used to date the house. Willem Heda was appointed canon of the Antwerp Church of Our Lady in 1520 and lived in a house in very poor condition at this location. Heda appointed a bricklayer to build a ‘zeer costelyck huys’ (very expensive house). In 1522 he described the house in a deed. The Karbonkel house must therefore have been built between 1520 and 1522.

Karbonkelhouse
architect unknown
Antwerp, Groenplaats 33
1520 – 1522
This article first appeared on my other site about architecture in and around Antwerp: archiplore.

More architecture and monuments in Antwerp
The Stock Exchange of Antwerp by architect Schadde
Stocj Exchange Antwerp Joseph Schadde Antwerp, Twaalfmaandenstraat 1872 Stock Exchange Antwerp After years of waiting, the time has finally come: the Antwerp Stock Exchange can be visited freely. This summer there is a pop-up terrace in the covered courtyard and an...
Kiel residential project designed by Renaat Braem
Residential Project Kiel Renaat Braem Antwerp, Emiel Vloorsstraat, Aloïs de Laetstraat, … 1949-1958 Kiel Shortly after the lockdown started, on a sunny afternoon, we decided to take a walk to the ‘Braemblokken (Braem Blocks) or the residential blocks designed by...
Province house competition – the four who did not win
Competition Province House Winner: Xaveer de Geyter Architecten Antwerp, Koningin Elisabethlei 22 2011 Competition Province House They’re currently working on the new Province House, more about this in the blog post about the construction of the Province House. The...