The Belgian city of Antwerp is located on the eastern bank of the Scheldt River and is the northern neighbor of the Netherlands, located specifically 88 km from the North Sea. It is one of the major cities in Belgium, and the backbone of its economic life. The city extends over an area of 200 km, and is inhabited by about 450 thousand people. It is one of the cities rich in antiquities and wonderful landmarks, as many civilizations have passed through it, and its old buildings are dominated by the amazing Gothic architectural style with many details. The word Antwerp in Arabic means the thrown hand, and there is a nice legend that explains why the city was called by that name, and the legend tells that in the past there was a giant named Antigone who lived on the bank of the Scheldt River and he imposed a tax on every ship crossing the river and cut off the hand of its captain and threw it into the river if he refused to pay However, a Roman hero called Prabo killed the giant and threw it into the river, and since that time the city has been known as Antwerp. Antwerp is also one of the world's most important mining countries for diamonds and precious metals.