Mechelen
Places of Interest
Mechelen boasts several UNESCO World Heritage sites. The first of these is on the Grote Markt, or main town square – the 14th century belfort (belfry) and Lakenhalle (merchants’ cloth hall), which are now home to the town hall. The interior is as impressive as the exterior, and is accessible to tour groups. There’s an enormous 16th century tapestery in the reception hall, beautifully carved woodwork in the council chamber, and many other historical treasures in the wedding hall.
Also on the Grote Markt is the 15th century St Romboudskathedraal (St Rumbold’s Cathedral) with its unusual flat-topped tower dominating the skyline, which at the same time evokes both the city’s past medieval grandeur and its fall into decline. Intended as a proud symbol of Mechelen’s wealth and might, it was to be the highest tower in the Low Countries at a height of 175 metres. However, financial problems in the 16th century put a halt to the building work and the tower remains incomplete, standing at just under two thirds of its original planned height. It is nevertheless an important Mechelen building and is another of its many UNESCO listed sites. There are 500 steps in the tower, which can be climbed to view the cathedral’s two enormous carillons and their intricate mechanisms. The carillons are still played in summer concerts every year and their chimes sound beautiful. Also of note is the scale model downstairs in the main cathedral floor, which gives an impression of the how the tower would have looked if its spire had been completed.
There’s a long list of other important and impressive historical buildings in Mechelen, such as de Beyaert Town House, the Hof van Busleyden, the Oud Schepenhuis (former house of the town council), the Archbishop’s Palace and the former Palace of Margaret of Austria, as well as many old private houses dotted around the streets of the city.
Also on the Grote Markt is the 15th century St Romboudskathedraal (St Rumbold’s Cathedral) with its unusual flat-topped tower dominating the skyline, which at the same time evokes both the city’s past medieval grandeur and its fall into decline. Intended as a proud symbol of Mechelen’s wealth and might, it was to be the highest tower in the Low Countries at a height of 175 metres. However, financial problems in the 16th century put a halt to the building work and the tower remains incomplete, standing at just under two thirds of its original planned height. It is nevertheless an important Mechelen building and is another of its many UNESCO listed sites. There are 500 steps in the tower, which can be climbed to view the cathedral’s two enormous carillons and their intricate mechanisms. The carillons are still played in summer concerts every year and their chimes sound beautiful. Also of note is the scale model downstairs in the main cathedral floor, which gives an impression of the how the tower would have looked if its spire had been completed.
There’s a long list of other important and impressive historical buildings in Mechelen, such as de Beyaert Town House, the Hof van Busleyden, the Oud Schepenhuis (former house of the town council), the Archbishop’s Palace and the former Palace of Margaret of Austria, as well as many old private houses dotted around the streets of the city.