The Steen, the oldest preserved building in Antwerp, was built between 1200 and 1225 as a gatehouse to the Antwerp castle. The current building covers less than 5% of the surface area of ​​the original castle. Within the castle were important institutions such as the Vierschaar (the former courthouse on the corner of Mattenstraat), the Sint-Walburgiskerk (also known as the castle church), the Bezaanhuis, the Reuzenhuis, the refuge of the Benedictine abbey of Affligem which also functioned as the rectory of the castle church (the last three in Mattenstraat), the Steen, the Werf and just outside the castle the Vismarkt. Around 1520, during the reign of Charles V , the gatehouse to the castle was thoroughly renovated and from then on it was called ' s-Heeren Steen . In 1549, Charles V donated the building to the city, which owned it until 1828.