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!

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, including Burgundian palaces, historic churches, wooden façades and sumptuously decorated guildhalls. This handy brochure brochure takes you back to that rich Burgundian era.

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 buildings: imagine how wonderful it must be to have a house overlooking the Dyle.

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.

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!

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 days the building houses the Royal Manufacturers De Wit, a world-famous tapestry- weaving and restoration workshop. If the gate is open, step into the beautiful garden. You will see a number of plants growing which are depicted on historical tapestries.

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.

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 back.

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 established by the Benedictine Abbey in the 16th century to improve contact between the abbey and the archbishop. These days this beautiful building is part of the archbishop's palace to which it is linked by means of a covered bridge.

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, chair and table. The institution derives its name from these little 'cells'. 'De Cellekens' was empty for a long time but then the new owners, artist Mariette Teugels and her photographer husband Herman Smet, restored the building. You can see some of Mariette Teugels' work in the new garden.

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 on the street. The bases of two small defence towers are still visible. The Guldenstraat, Korenmarkt and Hoogstraat lead in a direct line from the Grootbrug to the Brusselpoort, the only surviving city gate.