Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Heritage Award of the Province of Antwerp was won by “On the Road with the Antwerp Madonnas” by Voor Kruis en Beeld, recognising its contribution to preserving and enhancing built heritage.
As VRT News reported, the €10,000 Heritage Prize has been awarded to the project “On the Road with the Antwerp Madonnas” by the non-profit organisation Voor Kruis en Beeld vzw. The project focuses on restoring and protecting statues of the Virgin Mary and other saints in Antwerp’s city centre.
Volunteers work with professional restorers to keep these cultural and religious treasures in good condition. The project also makes this heritage accessible to the public. People can take part in walking tours, attend lectures, and use a small walking guide to explore the city’s statues. The initiative reaches residents, tourists, and visitors of all ages.
“The jury praises this project, which connects residents and visitors and demonstrates how small heritage, often unnoticed, can still be of great significance to a city. For over 90 years, these volunteers have proven that care, knowledge, and love for heritage create lasting added value. This award is therefore a well-deserved recognition for their ears of tireless dedication,”
says Luk Lemmens, Provincial Executive Member responsible for Heritage.
What projects won Antwerp’s Heritage awards for Madonnas and Paardenmarkt?
2 other projects were also recognised for their contribution to local heritage. The St. Margaret’s Wintam Society received €5,000 for the project
“From St. Margaret’s Church to Wintam Museum Church”,
which highlights the historical and architectural value of local churches. The De Linde vzw history society in Olen also won €5,000 for
“The Albert Canal – a Heritage Exhibition in Motion”.
The project received 833 votes, the most of any candidate in the public vote. The former school complex has been turned into an open campus that combines historic buildings with modern facilities. The design allows students and visitors to experience a space where the past meets the future. The Audience Award carries a prize of €2,500.
The Heritage Award is now being presented for the 8th time. It honours organisations, associations, or initiatives that make an exceptional contribution to the preservation and enhancement of built heritage in the province of Antwerp. This year, 14 projects were entered. A total of 5,549 votes were cast for all candidates, which is 1,000 more votes than last year’s first public vote.
The University of Antwerp reopened its historic Paardenmarkt campus in February 2023 after 4 years of renovation. The site includes the 16th‑century Knechtjeshuis, once an orphanage built in 1558, which has been carefully restored and incorporated into the modern campus.
The university invested around €12.5 million to turn the old school buildings into a sustainable and functional space for its Department of Product Development. In September 2023, the renovated campus received the Erfgoedjuweel award from the city of Antwerp, recognising it as a model project in heritage restoration.
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