River Scheldt is the historic lifeline of Antwerp. It flows north to North Sea through a wide estuary in Netherlands, allowing Antwerp to become one of Europe’s great port cities during the 16th century and again in modern times. After the Dutch Revolt, the river’s estuary was controlled by the Dutch, who effectively closed navigation to Antwerp for long periods. This contributed to Antwerp’s economic decline while Amsterdam flourished during the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century.