Antwerp Bourse

About Antwerp Bourse

The Antwerp Bourse, established in 1531, was the first purpose built building for trading securities and commodities. Antwerp was the financial center of Europe in the 16th century. The Bourse was open to all merchants regardless of nationality, unlike earlier Italian exchanges. It traded bills of exchange, government bonds, and commodity contracts. The building burned and was rebuilt several times. When the Dutch revolt cut off Antwerp from the sea in 1585, financial activity shifted to Amsterdam. The Antwerp Bourse pioneered the concept of a permanent trading venue, which spread to London, Paris, and eventually New York. The word bourse comes from the Van der Beurse inn where merchants gathered.