As a big fan of handsome heroes slaying monsters, the folklore to the tell the story of how Antwerp got its name appealed to me even more.

The Grote markt in the old town flaunts a stunning fountain of baroque Brabo.  Legend has it that a giant named Antigoon lived close to the river Scheldt. He collected a toll from the boatmen crossing the river and chopped off a hand of those who refused to pay and flung it into the river. Then our hero Silvius Brabo entered the scene, took charge of the situation and severed the monster’s hand and threw it into the river, thus giving Antwerp its name. In Dutch Ant stands for hand and werpen is the verb to throw.