If the city is interesting for tourists, then it can boast of attractions. The love of tourists to the old Flemish city of Mechelen is explained by the fact that historical sights and simply beautiful places here are great. Being a city by European standards is small - here there are only a little more than 60 thousand people, and the area of the city is only 65 sq. Km. km. Mechelen is one of the fifteen largest cities in Belgium.
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How to get here
Mechelen is located between Brussels and Antwerp, from both cities it is easy to get there by motorway (highway E19), and it will take a little time: from Brussels less than 40 minutes, and from Antwerp - less than 30 minutes. You can also use the railway transport if the schedule suits.
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A bit of history
Mechelen's mentions begin to occur in the annals from the 11th century, but people in the city lived before, the first settlement here was founded by the ancient Romans - this is confirmed by excavations .In the 13th century, Mechelen became a recognized center of trade and crafts, and by the 14th century flourished thanks to the development of the textile industry .At the same time, the period of political power of the city took place .At the end of the 16th century, at the height of the struggle for the Spanish heritage, the city was badly damaged, but thanks to the diligence of the townspeople, it quickly recovered, and by the beginning of the 17th century it became a recognized supplier of lace, tapestries and expensive fabrics for the European nobility and royal courts .By the 19th century, the enterprises of the metallurgical and machine-building industry had formed in the city, and the 20th century brought to it, as well as many other European cities, the destruction and drama caused by the two world wars .
Crimson ringing Mechelen
In another field, Mechelen won fame and fame in those years: the best bells in Europe were cast here, the best carillon specialists - the bell ringing - lived here .It must be said that the name of the city in French sounds Malin, that's where the expression "raspberry ringing" from .To this day, Mechelen is the center of carillon music .In essence, a carillon is a musical instrument consisting of bells set up in a certain way .To play on such a specific instrument, you need to pass special training .In Mechelen there is the Royal Carillon School, and once every three years the carillon specialists come here for the Queen Fabiola International Competition .
Hotels Melehen
Most of the hotels in the city are 3 * and 4 * categories. There are also non-standard accommodation options, for example, in a 15th century brewery building or in a former church.
Entertainment, excursions and attractions of Mechelen
Today the city is thriving, walking along its ancient picturesque streets is a great pleasure. The most recognizable architectural structure is the Cathedral of Saint Rumbold, it was built in the Gothic style. To build the cathedral began in the 13th century, it was designed to demonstrate the prosperity of the city and its wealth. It was assumed that the tower of the cathedral would be 160 meters high and would be the highest in Europe. But the war and political cataclysms did not allow these plans to be realized, we had to limit ourselves to 97 meters.
Through the construction of carillons is a ladder, consisting of 514 steps. Lifting on it takes a lot of effort, but the spectacle that opens from the site, located in the upper part of the cathedral, is fascinating. Not only that is visible, as in the palm of your hand, the whole city and its surroundings, in good weather from here you can quite well see Antwerp and Atomium, which is, as is known, in Brussels.
Outside, the cathedral is lavishly decorated with stucco molding and decorative details characteristic of various architectural styles, and inside - by the canvases of outstanding artists, including the "Crucifixion of Christ" by the famous Van Dyke. Visit the cathedral is available daily, from 9:30 to 17 hours (until 16:30 from November to March), the entrance to it is free.
The great Rubens himself adorned the altar of St. John's Cathedral, built in the 15th century in the Baroque style. It is here that you can see his picture "Adoration of the Magi". The cathedral is open for free visits.
The City Hall stands, as usual in European cities, on the Market Square, and together with the Cathedral of Saint Rumbold and the elegant houses with intricate facades, is a very attractive architectural ensemble. Here you can see the oldest building in the city - the House of City Counselors, built in 1374 in the early Gothic style.
Combines the features of two styles, late Gothic and early Renaissance, the palace of Margarita of Austria, during the reign of which Mechelen reached the greatest power. Currently in the palace there are offices of the city court.
The courtyard of Buslaiden is another landmark place of Mechelen. Buslaiden was an outstanding Belgian politician, scientist, diplomat. His house, built in the early 16th century in Late Gothic style, is now not only an architectural landmark: it houses the Mechelen City Museum, exhibits illustrate the history of the city, and tell of its outstanding figures.
The density of architectural and historical attractions in Mechelen is simply astounding. It seems that the city is a vast (both in terms of area and in terms of time periods) museum, the inspection of which will bring pleasure and give food to the inquisitive mind. Among the urban "interest" is not the last place is occupied by a zoo, a museum of railway transport, a toy museum and two museums of watches.