BELGIAN MUSEUM DECORATED WITH SEVERED HANDS

Antwerp’s ‘Museum aan de Stroom’ was hailed as an impressive bit of architecture when it was opened in 2011. But when you take a closer look, its ugly side becomes apparent: it’s decorated in hands - amputated ones. Which is grim enough, but is likely to make anyone even slightly acquainted with Belgium’s colonial past recoil in horror.

Belgium’s King Leopold II and his colonial forces maimed countless enslaved Congolese during their brutal reign of terror in the country - by chopping off hands as punishment for failing to meet quotas. Rape, torture, kidnapping and murder were also rampant in Leopold’s colony. It’s estimated his regime was responsible for an astonishing 10-million Congolese deaths.

Defender’s of the museum’s sinister design point out that the city of Antwerp has an old legend associated with it - of a giant who used to cut passing boatmen’s hands off if they failed to pay a toll. And it’s this 15th century parable that the hands on the building’s exterior are apparently a reference to. Be that as it may, it smacks of a complete lack of sensitivity and atonement.

Whatever the architect thought he was channeling, the building can throw and shock unprepared visitors. Among them, @amhur75 - who recently posted this video he filmed when in Antwerp.

Have a watch and let us know what you think should happen to the building.