The eight historical churches

Mechelen

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The eight historical churches

Mechelen has churches galore and each contains a profusion of religious treasures. There are no fewer than eight historical churches in the city centre, each well worth a visit! The coloured light which filters through the stained-glass windows and the serene atmosphere which pervades the buildings make a visit a very special experience. The churches also contain works of art, including famous paintings by Rubens and Van Dyck. The latter provided St Rumbold’s Cathedral with a veritable masterpiece: the ‘Crucifixion of Christ’.

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Do & See

Mechelen has something for everyone and everything is within easy reach of everything else. In the historic centre you’ll find fascinating museums, scores of historic buildings and delightful squares. Below is a list of Mechelen’s top sights. Don’t miss a single one!

St Rumbold’s Tower

St Rumbold’s Tower

After 538 steps, you’ll be on the Sky Walk which affords a panoramic view of the Grote Markt and indeed the whole city. On your way to the top, stop and catch your breath in six rooms, each of which serves a different purpose. Take the opportunity to admire from close to the working …

Museum Hof van Busleyden

Museum Hof van Busleyden

Welcome to the Museum Hof van Busleyden! Step into this majestic and magnificent Renaissance palace in Mechelen, the capital of the Burgundian Netherlands. Find out more about the surprising Burgundian history as you venture deeper into the Hof van Busleyden, discovering its treasures and stories. Learn more about the Burgundians’ ideas, about the city, …

Palace of Margaret of Austria

Palace of Margaret of Austria

History and architecture enthusiasts will feel at home in Mechelen straightaway, particularly when it comes to viewing the palaces of Margaret of York and Margaret of Austria! The residence of the regent Margaret of Austria, the Court of Savoy, was the first renaissance building in the Low Countries. The picturesque garden is a wonderfully …

Dyle path

The people of Mechelen like to enjoy their city and why not! A walk alongside the water in the heart of the city is a unique and relaxing experience, particularly if you walk over the floating part of the Dyle Path! The path leads past (and over) the Dyle, between Haverwerf and the Botanical …

Large and Small Beguinages

Large and Small Beguinages

Beguines are women who lived together and together sustained themselves. The charming, narrow streets of the beguinages are an oasis of peace and a wonderful place for a quiet stroll. Its typical Flemish character and unusual architecture ensured the Large Beguinage of a place on UNESCO’s list of world heritage …

In the footsteps of Margareta

In the footsteps of Margareta

Travel five hundred years back in time to the days when Mechelen was the capital of the Netherlands. As the city was also the seat of Margareta of Austria’s court, scores of Burgundian noblemen settled here too. This prosperous period left its mark on the city and traces of it have survived to this day, …

Boat trip on the Inner Dyle

Boat trip on the Inner Dyle

For a whole new take on the city centre, opt for a boat ride from Haverwerf through the marina and the sluice dock. Look out for the Vismarkt (Fish Market), the Grootbrug (Large Bridge), the Botanical Garden and the Volmolen or Fuller’s Mill. You’ll see how the people of Mechelen live in historic waterside …

Kazerne Dossin

Between 1942 and 1944 Kazerne Dossin was used by the Nazis as a SS assembly point. Here more than 25,000 Jews and gypsies were put on the train for Auschwitz-Birkenau. Now it is the site of the new Memorial, Museum and Documentation Centre on the Holocaust and Human Rights, designed by leading architect bOb …

Het Anker brewery

Het Anker brewery

On the edge of the beguinage you’ll find Het Anker, the authentic brewery where the Gouden Carolus is brewed. Charles V’s favourite tipple back in the sixteenth century, in 2012 this specialist beer won the gold medal at the World Beer …

The eight historical churches

The eight historical churches

Mechelen has churches galore and each contains a profusion of religious treasures. There are no fewer than eight historical churches in the city centre, each well worth a visit! The coloured light which filters through the stained-glass windows and the serene atmosphere which pervades the buildings make a visit a very special experience. The …

The Fish Market and Lamot site

The Fish Market and Lamot site

If you’d like to see something of authentic Mechelen, do as the Mechelaars do and soak up the atmosphere around Lamot brewery. The old brewery was converted into an ultramodern conference and heritage centre and is a wonderful example of how our industrial heritage can be put to new use. For Mechelen’s trendiest spots, …

Haverwerf

Originally oats were unloaded and traded here. Oats used to be synonymous with grain and Mechelen had the exclusive staple rights to grain. Boats carrying grain had to tie up in Mechelen and offer the whole cargo for sale for three whole days. You can't fail to notice the three houses near the bridge. They …

Zoutwerf

When the city acquired the staple for salt in 1301, the historic quay on the Grootbrug or Large Bridge was renamed the 'Zoutwerf' or Salt Wharf. You will immediately notice the two authentic façades of 'De Waag' and 'De Steur'. De Steur served as a warehouse, while the goods were weighed in De Waag ('Weighhouse').Another …

Foodmarket: De Vleeshalle

Foodmarket: De Vleeshalle

The concept "Shop-Taste-Meet" brings people together in the unique historical framework of “De Vleeshalle”, an old market hall build in 1881. All your senses kick in here: sight, sound, smell and of course taste! You’ll be amazed at the wide range of authentic and irresistible foods available in the former ‘Meat Hall’. Doing your …

Royal Manufacturers De Wit

Royal Manufacturers De Wit

The world-famous De Wit Royal Manufacturers of Tapestry is an absolute ‘must’. For four generations antique tapestries have been cleaned and conserved here using state-of-the-art technology. On Saturday mornings visitors can take a look inside the workshop and watch a weaving demonstration. The House of Refuge of Tongerlo Abbey dates from the 15th century. These …

Aldermen’s Building

Aldermen’s Building

As the first stone town hall to be built in Flanders, Mechelen’s Schepenhuis is steeped in history. In the 13th century it served as the town hall and meeting place of the municipal court of justice and in the 15th century as the seat of the Great Council and the Parliament of Mechelen. Municipal …

Mechelen Toy Museum

Mechelen Toy Museum

The Toy Museum houses one of the largest collections of toys in Europe. You’ll find toys from all over the world, old and new. Children are amazed at the toys their grandparents used to play with and for adults they bring nostalgic memories of childhood flooding …

Town Hall

The modern-day town hall is actually two buildings: Cloth Hall with its unfinished belfry (recognised by UNESCO) and the Palace of the Great Council. But in fact Mechelen has three town halls: the old Schepenhuis or Aldermen’s House, Huis Den Beyaert and the modern-day town hall. Then there is the Huis van de Mechelaar, …

ZOO Planckendael

ZOO Planckendael

If you want to get out of the city for a while, head for ZOO Planckendael, where you can admire exotic animals, follow a trail that leads across suspension bridges and through the treetops. In the 40-hectare park there is more than enough space for animals to frolic, children to play and adults to …

Technopolis

Have you always wanted to try your hand at landing an aeroplane? Would you dare to take a nap on a bed of nails or ride a bicycle along a high wire 5 metres above the ground? At Technopolis®, the Flemish hands-on centre for science and technology, (almost) anything is …

Winter Garden of the Ursuline nuns

Winter Garden of the Ursuline nuns

We have no idea what prompted the Ursuline nuns in Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Waver to make the rather bold decision to build this truly magnificent Art Nouveau building. After all, this style was considered hyper-modern in 1900. And yet, this enchanting Winter Garden with its colourful stained glass cupola was considered the most stunning feature of their …

House of Refuge of St Trond’s Abbey

House of Refuge of St Trond’s Abbey

Very early on the abbots of abbeys and monasteries had refuges built in the walled towns where they could stay during a visit to that town or on their way to their often extensive landed estates. In times of war, these refuges also offered protection. The House of Refuge of St Trond's Abbey was …

The Cells

In the shadow of St Rumbold's Tower is a unique historical monument. 'De Cellekens' was originally a charitable institution which took in needy women without a family to care for them. The three wings form a U-shape around the magnificent enclosed garden. Originally each door provided access to two small rooms with bed, cupboard, …

Grootbrug

The Grootbrug or Large Bridge, also known as the Hoogbrug - High Bridge, connects the IJzerenleen on the other side with the Korenmarkt. This sandstone structure dating from the thirteenth century is the oldest stone bridge in Flanders. The Grootbrug used to be a toll bridge; payment was exacted both on the water and …

Groen Waterke

There are many idyllic spots in Mechelen and Groen Waterke is one of them. The brook owes its name to the duckweed which covers the surface of the water. It is in fact the remains of the Melaan brook which was not covered over or filled in here. Enjoy the peace and quiet of …

Watch Museum & Clock Clinic

Watch Museum & Clock Clinic

The Watch Museum is a museum with a difference. The Op de Beeck family restores antique clocks and watches and over the centuries has amassed a large collection of timepieces dating from 1600 to the present day. The collection contains extraordinary tower clocks, mystery clocks, sundials and much much more. To find out just …

The Mad Art Collection

The Mad Art Collection

This historical building houses a museum with a permanent collection of sixteenth-century paintings. What makes the collection unique is that each painting contains a satirical and moralising reference to 'madness'. There are paintings in the style of Hieronymus Bosch, Bruegel and Brouwer illustrating reprehensible behaviour and the appropriate punishment. You'll have fun trying to …

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