Franklin Rooseveltplaats

Last updated
Franklin Rooseveltplaats
City square
Rooseveltplaats bus.JPG
Several buses at the northbound platforms
Opening date1860
Dedicated to Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States
LocationCrossing of the Leien, Turnhoutsebaan and Kipdorpbrug
Antwerp, Belgium
Coordinates: 51°13′10.8″N4°25′2.7″E / 51.219667°N 4.417417°E / 51.219667; 4.417417

The Franklin Rooseveltplaats (English: Franklin Roosevelt Square) is a large square in the city of Antwerp, Belgium, placed at the crossing of the Leien and Turnhoutsebaan, and within walking distance of the Koningin Astridplein and Antwerp-Central station. The square functions primarily as the main bus station in Antwerp, which with its 28 platforms handles a large part of all bus transport in the city, as well as several tram routes.

Contents

History

The square is built on the spot were the Kipdorp gate previously stood, a part of the 16th century city walls that were demolished in 1860. It was initially called the "Victorieplaats" ("Victory square"), after the victory of the citizens over the French Duke of Anjou in an effort to conquer the city known as the French Fury. However, a few years later, in 1868, it was decided to rename the square as the "Gemeenteplaats" ("Municipality square "), after the victorious citizens (called "Gemeentenaars") in the same event. The street joining the square with the Astridplein was in the same fashion named the "Gemeentestraat" (and still bears this name today). Apart from the official name, the square was also regularly called the "Geuzenhofkes" by local citizens, referring to the many plants functioning as decoration on the square.

Royal Athenaeum GO! Koninklijk Atheneum Antwerpen.jpg
Royal Athenaeum

The Royal Athenaeum was built here in 1882-84. It was designed by Pieter Jan August Dens in collaboration with Ferdinand Truyman. [1]

After the Allied victory in the First World War, the square was once again named the Victorieplaats, this time referring to the four main allied victors, France, the UK, the US and Italy. The square eventually received its present name after the Second World War, honoring the recently deceased American president Franklin D. Roosevelt. [2]

Public transport

Originally, the square had an imposing design, with statues and decoration with plants and intersected by the Leien and Turnhoutsebaan. However, due to its central position at the crossing of these two major axes, the square soon became a hub for public transport. Beginning in 1934, more and more vicinal trams of the NMVB started to have their terminus at the Victorieplaats. Gradually, the amount of space taken in by public transport rose, up until 1968 vicinal trams, later buses and city trams, operated by the MIVA, and after 1992 by De Lijn. As of 2017, the square is serviced by tram routes 10, 11, 12 and 24.

The square has functioned during the past decades as the absolute hub for city and regional bus lines in Antwerp, with 28 platforms that are serviced by busses going in any direction, as well as the above mentioned tram routes. Also, the square is within a short walking distance of the Opera premetro station to the South, and the Astridplein, also a hub for city public transport, and Antwerp-Central railway station to the East. [3]

In recent years, efforts are being made to reduce the number of busses having their terminus at the Rooseveltplaats, in part to reduce bus traffic in the inner city as well as to relieve pressure on the Rooseveltplaats. In 2002, regional busses toward Waasland were limited to the Van Eeden square on Linkeroever. [4] In 2012 several bus lines going North or South were either cancelled or limited to termini outside the city centre, [5] and in 2015, the busses going eastward through Borgerhout were diverted to the bus station at Antwerpen-Berchem railway station. [6] Starting from June 2017 furthermore, busses to Boom and Mechelen are limited to Antwerpen-Zuid. [7] Also, international bus services such as Flixbus and IC Bus have largely moved to the nearby Astridplein.

Future

Beginning in June 2017, large scale construction works will start on the Rooseveltplaats as a part of the larger Noorderlijn project. After the conclusion of these works, the number of bus platforms will be reduced from 28 to 12. At the same time, the square will get new tram connections after the construction of tram tracks on the northern part of the Leien. Also, the currently unused premetro tunnel between Astrid and Opera stations will be taken into service by tram routes 8 and 10. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berchem</span> District of Antwerp in Flemish Community, Belgium

Berchem is a southern district of the municipality and city of Antwerp in the Flemish Region of Belgium. Berchem is located along the old Grote Steenweg that has connected Brussels to Antwerp for several centuries; the town borders the districts of Deurne, Borgerhout, Wilrijk and Antwerp and the municipality of Mortsel. Berchem itself consists of three quarters, Oud Berchem, Groenenhoek and Nieuw Kwartier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amsterdam Zuid station</span> Railway station in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam Zuid is a railway station situated in the borough of Amsterdam-Zuid in Amsterdam, Netherlands. For a number of years, it was named Amsterdam Zuid WTC, in reference to the neighbouring World Trade Center Amsterdam. During 2006, in conjunction with the rapid development of the area surrounding the station, the station was enlarged and the reference to the WTC was formally dropped from the name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sportpaleis</span> Multipurpose indoor arena in Antwerp, Belgium

The Antwerps Sportpaleis, also called Sportpaleis Antwerpen, Sportpaleis Merksem or simply the Sportpaleis, is an arena in Antwerp, Belgium. It is a multipurpose hall used for organizing concerts, sporting events, festivals, and fairs. The arena was built for sport, especially track cycling, but there is now little sport there, an exception being the Diamond Games tennis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antwerp Pre-metro</span> Belgian light rail network

The Antwerp Premetro is a network consisting of lines 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 15 of the Antwerp Tram system. It is a metre gauge system which runs underground in the city centre and further out on surface lines, which are mostly separated from motor vehicle traffic. The network is operated by De Lijn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tram route 3 (Antwerp)</span>

The Antwerp premetro tram route 3 is a tram route connecting Merksem with Melsele in the city of Antwerp. The route is operated by the Flemish transport company De Lijn and historically also by its Antwerp predecessor, MIVA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antwerp tramway network</span>

The Antwerp tramway network is a network of tramways forming part of the public transport system in Antwerp, a city in the Flemish Region of Belgium. The network is operated by the Flemish region's transportation company De Lijn. As of April 2017, it featured fourteen lines, eight of which pass partially underground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antwerpen-Zuid railway station</span> Railway station in Antwerp, Belgium

Antwerpen-Zuid is a railway station in the south of the city of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium. The old station opened on 10 July 1878 (goods) on the Lines 52 (1894) and 25A (1907). The old station building was demolished in 1965 and replaced with a stop in 1970 on the new through railway under the Scheldt river on the line 59. In 2006, the Butterfly Palace, designed by the Richard Rogers Partnership, was built on the location of the old station. It houses the Antwerp Courthouse.

Tram route 8 is a tram route in Antwerp and nearby Wommelgem. The present day route was opened on 8 December 2019 connecting the Astrid premetro station with the Wommelgem Roundabout P+R. The route was the first to use the newly opened premetro tunnel under Borgerhout, called the Reuzenpijp, which begins at Astrid station and comes above ground just before the Muggenberg stop. It is promoted as a "fast tram" (sneltram) route, as most stations in the premetro tunnel have not (yet) been opened, allowing a 15-minute connection between the city center and the Wommelgem P+R.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tram route 6 (Antwerp)</span>

Tram route 6 is a tram route in Antwerp between the Metropolis P+R in the northern Luchtbal suburb and the Olympiade P+R in the southern Kiel neighborhood, using the pre-metro network between stations Sport and Plantin. The route was officially opened on 27 October 2007 and is operated by the Flemish transport company De Lijn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opera (Antwerp premetro station)</span> Premetro station in Antwerp, Belgium

Opera is a station in the Antwerp premetro network, lying under the Leien near the Teniersplaats in the city centre. The station was opened on 25 March 1975 along with the initial opening of the Antwerp premetro network. The station was temporarily closed in 2016 in order to undergo a full renovation and expansion and reopened in its current form on 8 December 2019. The station lies in the immediate proximity of the Antwerp opera building and is a part of the central east-west premetro axis. It is served by the tram routes 3, 5, 9, 10 and 15.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astrid (Antwerp premetro station)</span>

Astrid is a station in the Antwerp premetro network that was opened on April 1, 1996. The station lies directly under the Koningin Astridplein on the Gemeentestraat side. The station is one of the two premetro stations in Antwerp servicing passengers from Antwerp Central Station, the other being Diamant, which lies to the south of Astrid. It is served by tram lines 8 and 10. Line 8 terminate in this station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport (Antwerp premetro station)</span>

Sport is an underground station in the Antwerp premetro network. The station was opened on April 1, 1996 as the last station on the northern premetro axis. At present, the station is served by tram routes 2, 3 and 6. Tram route 5 also passes through the northern premetro axis, but leaves the premetro tunnel via the Ten Eekhovelei exit between Schijnpoort and Sport. It does not stop at the Sport station, but has a stop called "Sportpaleis" at the Ten Eekhovelei.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van Eeden (Antwerp premetro station)</span>

Frederik van Eeden is an underground station in the Antwerp premetro network located in the Linkeroever suburb on the left bank of the river Scheldt. The station was opened on 21 September 1990, the same time as the Brabotunnel, linking the station with Groenplaats station and allowing trams in the premetro network to cross the river Scheldt. The station is located directly underneath the F. Van Eedenplein, named after the writer of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tram route 9 (Antwerp)</span>

Tram route 9 is a route in the Antwerp tram network connecting the Eksterlaar neighborhood in southern Deurne with Linkeroever using the Antwerp premetro network between Plantin and Van Eeden stations. The present day route was officially opened on September 1, 2012, as part of a revision of the network map.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schijnpoort (Antwerp premetro station)</span> Premetro station in Antwerp, Belgium

Schijnpoort is an underground station in the Antwerp premetro network. The station was named after the Schijnpoort gate, part of the Brialmont fortifications, which was demolished in 1970 when constructing the R1 ring road. It was opened in 1996 as part of the northern premetro axis and was originally only served by tram route 3. Currently, it is also serviced by tram route 5, tram route 6 and tram route 2.

Tram route 1 is a tram route in Antwerp (Belgium) connecting the Bolivarplaats in the Zuid neighborhood with the Havana site in the Luchtbal neighborhood to the North via the Leien and Noorderlaan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tram route 11 (Antwerp)</span>

Tram route 11 is an above ground tram route in the city of Antwerp, Belgium. It currently runs between the Antwerpen-Berchem railway station and the Melkmarkt in the city centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tram route 4 (Antwerp)</span>

Tram route 4 is an above ground tram route in the city of Antwerp, Belgium. The route runs between the Kioskplaats in the suburb of Hoboken in the South, and the Silsburg cemetery on the Deurne/Wommelgem border in the East. The present day itinerary is the result of the merger of the trajectory from the historic route 8 and that from the original route 4 in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diamant (Antwerp premetro station)</span> Premetro station in Antwerp

Diamant premetro station is an Antwerp Premetro station. Located under the Pelikaanstraat and next to Antwerp Central Station, it is served by lines 2, 6, 9 and 15.

Tram Route 10 is a tram route in Antwerp and nearby Wijnegem. Tram route 10 entered operation in 1873, making it one of the oldest tram routes still active in Antwerp, next to Tram Route 4 (Antwerp) and Tram Route 7 (Antwerp).

References

  1. ↑ "Koninklijk Atheneum". inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be (in Dutch). Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  2. ↑ "Rooseveltplaats: plein met vele namen" (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  3. ↑ De Lijn. "Perronindeling Antwerpen Rooseveltplaats" (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  4. ↑ "Tram- en buslijnen op Linkeroever" (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  5. ↑ "NIEUW. Dienstregeling De Lijn verandert vanaf 1 september". Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 30 August 2012. Archived from the original on 4 May 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  6. ↑ "Gewijzigd busaanbod vanaf 18 April". Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 4 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  7. ↑ De Lijn (11 April 2017). "Nieuw overstappunt Antwerpen-Zuid" (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  8. ↑ "Noorderlijn: Noorderleien-F.Rooseveltplaats" (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 April 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.