The St Joseph Ship Church occupies a strange concrete vessel built in Rotterdam in the Second World War to supply German U-boats.
It was turned into a seamen’s church and social centre in 1950 and moored in a remote area of the port.
The ship recently moved to a new location on the Houtdok kaai in Het Eilandje district. It contains a chapel, meeting hall and museum.
It also has a nostalgic Flemish restaurant decorated with old shipping relics called Tavern Kerkschip. You can visit this friendly Antwerp harbour restaurant for a coffee or a simple lunch.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
