The Mercator-Ortelius House or Mercator-Orteliushuis in the Kloosterstraat is one of the best preserved city villas in Antwerp. The building has been completely restored and will now be rented out by municipal real estate agency AG Vespa to a private partner. 

From mid-2025, the historic building will form the backdrop for a unique and innovative exhibition with video projections about the city during the Golden Age of Antwerp. With this visual and touristic purpose, Antwerp’s history is brought back to life, in an appropriate setting and centrally in the city.

In the sixteenth century, Antwerp was a prosperous and economically important city, and it experienced its ‘Golden Age’. The Mercator-Orteliushuis, built around 1550, is still a striking architectural witness to this today. The building owes its name to the famous sixteenth-century cartographers Gerardus Mercator and Abraham Ortelius.

History back to life

Urban Mapping creates ‘immersive experiences’ in which stories are told through a combination of modern projection techniques, soundscapes, animations and advanced AI. In this way, it brings historical buildings and public places back to life. 

The company has previously organised events and exhibitions in this way in various locations at home and abroad: the exhibition ‘James Ensor – Inspired by light‘ will run in Ostend until January 2025, which according to the company is a strong reference for what visitors will see in the Mercator-Ortelius House. The exhibition about the Golden Age in Antwerp will be a pioneering project to set up permanent exhibitions in historical buildings.

Alderman for Urban Development and chairman of AG Vespa Johan Klaps (N-VA): “In 1946, the Mercator-Ortelius House was protected as a monument because of its architectural-historical value. We have completely renovated this hidden city gem. Smart use of heritage: that is an important element of the new building code. You protect heritage by keeping it functional and thus giving it a second life. We felt it was important for the new use of the Mercator-Ortelius House that the cultural character of this building be preserved. We have found that, and together with all Antwerp residents we are looking forward to the new start that this unique building will make.”

Restoration

AG Vespa restored the Mercator-Ortelius House with great attention to the authentic elements such as the original brickwork, the antique wooden floor grids, the wooden saddle roof and the cellars with cross vaults. The agreement with the tenant and the recreational use are intended to turn the beautiful monumental building into a tourist attraction.

Timing

AG Vespa and the tenant concluded a lease agreement for the entire building at Kloosterstraat 15, from 1 December 2024 to 30 November 2033. The organisers are currently working hard on the technical and substantive elaboration, and hope to be able to welcome the first visitors to the Mercator-Ortelius House by the summer of 2025.

Alexander Stragier of Urban Mapping: “With this exhibition, we not only want to bring Antwerp’s rich history to life in an innovative way, but also respect and honor its heritage. For us, telling a timeless story is essential. We combine the latest techniques such as AI with artisanal animations and human creativity. This balance between tradition and innovation ensures that we can let the magic of the past resonate in the present in a respectful way.”

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