Mechelen

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 tower clock and two carillons. There’s nothing like them in Europe!

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, about power and about mastership and craftsmanship. Move from lively and bustling rooms to more private and quieter places. In this museum we look back at the city’s glorious history and look ahead to the future, together with you. Travel back and forth, between the past and present. Experiment and engage in a dialogue with the museum and its ever-changing collection. The story is far from finished.

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 peaceful place. On the other side of the street is what remains of the Palace of Margaret of York.

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 Garden. See a different side of Mechelen — the backs of the old houses! The many water birds make it atmospheric and fun for children too.

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 Van Reeth. At Kazerne Dossin the tragic war-time events are linked to human rights in general and to the theme of hope.

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 Awards.

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’.

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, head for the convivial Vismarkt - or Fish Market - on the other side of the Dyle. When the sun’s out, it’s a great place to enjoy it.

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 striking building is the former guildhall of the fishmongers, 'In den Grooten Zalm' – In the Large Salmon. The 'Innehuysken' to the right of 'De Waag' is where the 'innegeld' – 'monies received' – was paid, an early form of taxation. The building was destroyed by fire in the 17th century, but the fishmongers pulled together, rebuilt it and renamed it 'De Kleine Zalm', 'The Small Salmon'.

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 regular shop here is a far cry from the supermarket routine. It’s an experience to relish!

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 academy, museum, city archive and city library, the building went on to perform numerous other roles. In September 2018 the building saw its latest incarnation as the brand-new home of Visit Mechelen, the tourist information office. It is manned by experts on the local area who help visitors get the most out of their visit to Mechelen, so it is the ideal first port of call. It is also conveniently located between the four central points of the city: the Grote Markt, IJzerenleen, St Rumbold’s Tower and the Bruul.