"Mechelen, where an emperor was raised" Top 5 Page for this destination Mechelen by Pavlik_NL

Mechelen Travel Guide: 287 reviews and 739 photos

The pride of Mechelen: Sint Rombouts tower - Mechelen
The pride of Mechelen: Sint Rombouts tower
Clamped between Antwerpen and Brussel

Mechelen lays halfway the short distance between Antwerpen and Brussel, but does not fall in the shade of those larger brother and sister of hers. She competes, though with her 75.000 inhabitants, she is in size a lot smaller. She makes it up with history, monuments and gastronomy.
Most significant present is the Sint Rombouts tower (Rumbold) and the cathedral. Visible all over the town it is quite remarkable, with it's unfinished top (no point, just flat). It was built in the late medieval time in the blossoming periood of Mechelen (it even became the capitol of The Lowlands for a few decades). Margaretha van Oostenrijk (of Austria) ruled from here, but her son the famous and beloved Charles the Fifth moved back to Brussel again. Nowadays, Mechelen is still the religious centre of Flanders and Belgium. Here the Archbishop of Belgium is living.

Mechelen, capitol of "witloof" (cichory)
The centre of Mechelen is a lust for eyes - Mechelen

The centre of Mechelen is a lust for eyes

Mechelen became a town already in early medieval times and was situated on the river Dijle, that was then an important means of transport. It was always a pleasant town that was in the centre of a fine agricultural area, producing vegetables, above all "witloof" (cichory). It is also a centre of shopping for the wide surroundings (even people from Antwerpen and Brussel once and a while get attracted to do some buying at the famous "Bruul" and "IJzerenleen" shoppingstreets).

Don't miss out on Mechelen
Beautiful facades make you not know where to look - Mechelen

Beautiful facades make you not know where to look

Most splendid of Mechelen is for sure the fact that the town's centre is such lust for eyes. One monument after the other can be seen and enjoyed. There are several museums, beautiful facades, an authentic beguinage, various churches and ... a hospitable gastronomy that will make you lick your fingers. So, do not be one of these many visitors within Flanders that only go to Brussels, Antwerp and Brugge. Mechelen should be on the list and can easily be, as it is directly situated in between the two largest towns and is only a "hop" of the freeway.

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Reviews (56)

Row of monumental guild houses on the Grote Markt - Mechelen Museums in Mechelen Things to Do (44)

Besides the already mentioned Communal museum of Mechelen in the Busleyden house, Mechelen has two nice other... more travel advice

Example of a modern complex camouflaged in old - Mechelen Keeping new up in style of old Local Customs (7)

Mechelen has done a great job in camouflaging new buildings within the old citycentre. Though it was not everywhere... more travel advice

Building outward to create more inner space - Mechelen A clever way to get more then you paid... Local Customs (7)

In many Lowlands towns one can witness a typical medieval thing. Ground was sold to the highest bidder within the centre... more travel advice

Old renaissance besides a more baroque house - Mechelen Mixed architectural styles go side by... Local Customs (7)

When walking through Mechelen (and many other Lowlands town, maybe even world town or city) one must know quite a lot to... more travel advice

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