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.

Near the square, you can find the old City Hall - Stadhuis van Mechelen. It is a sophisticated architectural complex consisting of three buildings of the 15th-16th centuries. At the beginning of the 20th century, they were completely restored and combined into a single building that has been used as a city hall since 1914. The City Hall building is open for tours on certain days. A valuable collection of artworks and antiques has been preserved in the historic buildings.

A spectacular architectural monument of the Renaissance is Paleis van Margaretha van Oostenrijk, a palace built by the order of Margaret of Austria. The construction of the palace lasted over 15 years and was completed in 1530. After the death of its owner, the luxurious building became public property. It was used for various administrative purposes, and at the end of the 19th century, the palace underwent its first major reconstruction. Now it houses the main city court. The original design of the facade makes the palace one of Mechelen's most remarkable historic buildings. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

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.

The city has preserved many ancient cathedrals and churches. Mechelen's main religious attraction is Sint-Romboutskathedraal. The construction of the cathedral began in the 13th century. In the first years of its existence, it repeatedly suffered from fires and underwent many reconstructions. In the middle of the 16th century, Mechelen was officially recognized as an archiepiscopal center. During this period, the cathedral was expanded significantly. Now its building is striking with its incredible scale - the area of the cathedral is 3,870 square meters.

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.