Antwerpen railway station / De Keyserlei

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The Antwerp station seen from the "De Keyserlei" street, shortly after its completion in 1905. The gigantic entrance hall of 186 m length, 66 m width and 43 m height was built between 1899 and 1905 according to the design of the engineer Clement Van Bogaert. The stone reception building was designed in an eclectic architectural style difficult to classify, dominated by its imposing, 75 m high dome which brought it the popular label as "railway cathedral". The "Keyserlei" is a shopping street which was created between 1867 and 1873. In 1893 it got its name in honor of the painter Nicaise De Keyser. In 2011, the road was extensively renovated to restore it to its original condition (the city had suffered from many German bombing raids during World War II). All terraces had to disappear and the front houses of all restaurants to be demolished, which went hand in hand with a complete facade renovation.