Culture of Mechelen. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces
The starting point of most sightseeing routes is Grote Markt. This historic square is striking in its calm atmosphere, it is never too crowded here, so nothing prevents you from admiring the historic buildings around it. Several restaurants and cafes located nearby always set their tables outdoors in the warm season. The city's most important holidays and festivals take place in the main city square. Fairs and performances are held here regularly.
1. Mechelen can be easily reached from nearby Brussels or Antwerp. There are regular regular rail and bus services between these cities. 2. The city is famous for the variety of … Open
A vivid architectural monument in the Renaissance style is the Hof van Busleyden, which currently houses the eponymous museum. The beautiful tiled-roof house built in the second half of the 15th century was originally owned by one of the wealthy local politicians. After the death of its owners, it was occupied by a bank that operated until the outbreak of the First World War. In the war period, the old building was almost completely destroyed but subsequently restored in accordance with the historical project by 1938. After the reconstruction was completed, a museum was opened in the building, which now houses an interesting collection of ethnographic, archaeological and historical exhibits. The main value of the museum is 16th-century frescoes that miraculously survived the destructive war. Near the museum is a beautiful garden, which is used for holding various cultural events in the warm season.
Mechelen has a unique historical monument of world significance - the Groot Begijnhof Mechelen. This beguinage was founded in these places in the 13th century as a separate neighborhood where single women lived. One hundred years later, it became a small town with about a hundred houses. More than one and a half thousand women lived in it by that time. In the 16th century, the large commune was destroyed by the townspeople and the beguines had to leave their homes. Soon they returned to restore the commune and bought a large plot of land within the city boundaries. Today, the complex of unique historic buildings is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Mechelen cannot offer an abundance of large shopping centers, but there are many small interesting shops here. On the main city square, you will find a large Het Mechels gift shop where they … Open
It has preserved the unique interiors of past centuries, and elements of Gothic decoration are of special interest. The main decoration of the cathedral is a baroque altar made in 1665. For tourists, one of the most attractive elements of the cathedral is its tower with an observation deck on the top. There are two medieval carillons in this tower, many people gather to listen to the sound of unique musical instruments. The 15th-century Sint-Janskerk has been preserved in the historical district of Mechelen. A rich collection of ancient artworks and important religious artifacts are currently stored within its walls.
In the section below, you can get one of our excursion, activities or city discovery tours over Mechelen and surroundings. Our website offers 10-30% lower ticket prices, when compared to the offline purchase on the spot.
City tours, excursions and tickets in Mechelen and surroundings
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Reference information
Public palaces near Mechelen
♥ Palace 'Royal Castle of Laeken' Brussels, 18 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Palace 'Royal Palace of Antwerp' Antwerp, 20.9 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Palace 'Royal Palace of Belgium' Brussels, 22.5 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Palace 'Egmont Palace' Brussels, 22.9 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Palace 'Royal Castle of Laeken' Brussels, 18 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Palace 'Royal Palace of Antwerp' Antwerp, 20.9 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Palace 'Royal Palace of Belgium' Brussels, 22.5 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Palace 'Egmont Palace' Brussels, 22.9 km from the center. On the map Photo
Art galleries in Mechelen and around
♥ Art museum 'Royal Museum of Fine Arts' Antwerp, 20.2 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'Museum of Modern Art Antwerp (MuHKA)' Antwerp, 20.5 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'Museum Mayer van den Bergh' Antwerp, 20.7 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'Rubenshuis' Antwerp, 20.8 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'Cinquantenaire Museum' Brussels, 22.2 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'Royal Museum of Fine Arts' Antwerp, 20.2 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'Museum of Modern Art Antwerp (MuHKA)' Antwerp, 20.5 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'Museum Mayer van den Bergh' Antwerp, 20.7 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'Rubenshuis' Antwerp, 20.8 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Art museum 'Cinquantenaire Museum' Brussels, 22.2 km from the center. On the map Photo
Cathedrals and basilicas near Mechelen
♥ Sint-Servaasbasiliek, Grimbergen, 13 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Basiliek Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Lourdes, Edegem, 13.7 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Basilique Nationale du Sacré-Cœur, Koekelberg, 21.2 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerpen, 21.3 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Collegiale Sint-Michiels- en Sint-Goedele-co-kathedraal, Bruxelles / Brussel, 21.9 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Cathedrale abdijkerk Sint-Jacob op de Koudenbergkerk, Brussel / Bruxelles, 22.6 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Basilique Notre-Dame de Paix et de Concorde, Basse-Wavre / Waver, 36.2 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Sint-Servaasbasiliek, Grimbergen, 13 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Basiliek Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Lourdes, Edegem, 13.7 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Basilique Nationale du Sacré-Cœur, Koekelberg, 21.2 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerpen, 21.3 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Collegiale Sint-Michiels- en Sint-Goedele-co-kathedraal, Bruxelles / Brussel, 21.9 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Cathedrale abdijkerk Sint-Jacob op de Koudenbergkerk, Brussel / Bruxelles, 22.6 km from the center. On the map Photo
♥ Basilique Notre-Dame de Paix et de Concorde, Basse-Wavre / Waver, 36.2 km from the center. On the map Photo
Preferred to Open 9 New Hotels in 2022
In September 2022, the Sommerro hotel in Oslo will start operating in a carefully restored 1930s Art Deco building. This building is a true landmark of Frogner, a historic neighborhood of the Norwegian capital. A multi-million-dollar renovation carefully turned the largest preservation project in Norway into a modern hotel with 231 rooms, including 56 residences. Preferred will open five more hotels in 2022, namely, The Wall Street Hotel in New York, Amrit Ocean Resort & Residences on Singer Island (Florida, the US), TOA Hotel & Spa in Zanzibar, Pendry hotel in Washington, and Pendry Park City hotel in Utah. Read this
25.04.2024
In September 2022, the Sommerro hotel in Oslo will start operating in a carefully restored 1930s Art Deco building. This building is a true landmark of Frogner, a historic neighborhood of the Norwegian capital. A multi-million-dollar renovation carefully turned the largest preservation project in Norway into a modern hotel with 231 rooms, including 56 residences. Preferred will open five more hotels in 2022, namely, The Wall Street Hotel in New York, Amrit Ocean Resort & Residences on Singer Island (Florida, the US), TOA Hotel & Spa in Zanzibar, Pendry hotel in Washington, and Pendry Park City hotel in Utah. Read this
25.04.2024
Photogallery of cultural heritage of Mechelen
Landmarks of culture on Mechelen map: art-galleries, monuments, palaces, etc
Culture guide to Mechelen. Which fascinating sights to visit once you are in Mechelen: temples, churches, museums, theaters and castles. Recommendations (with addresses, phone numbers and links) on the places 'must visit' in Mechelen. Plan your own city excursion by using this page info!