An old passage at Pelgrimstraat 8 in Antwerp leads into a network of narrow crooked lanes, small cobbled courtyards and 16th-century houses. This is a hidden corner of the historic city that most people never discover.
Back in the 1960s, the city came up with a plan to tear down the houses and build a car park on the site. But the antique dealer Axel Vervoordt stepped in to save it. He bought up the ruined houses and spent several years restoring them. They are are now occupied by restaurants, galleries and bars.
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.
