St Romboutskathedraal

Mechelen’s most famous landmark is St Rombouts Cathedral and its impressive bell tower. The cathedral took 300 years to build, finally completed in 1546 once the Pope had intervened with extra funds when he put the cathedral on a list of specified churches where pilgrims could seek absolution without visiting Rome. The truncated tower stands 97m tall, although original plans were for it to be 167m tall, and is thought to be the most beautiful tower in the country. It houses Belgium’s best and heaviest carillon, made up of 49 bells, which ring out regularly. The climb up the 514 steps of the tower is worth it for the view; on a clear day you can see both Brussels and Antwerp. A gilt casket containing the remains of St Rombout is kept within the cathedral and there is also a 25-panel painting depicting his story. The cathedral is also home to several prized works of art including The Crucifixion by Antony van Dyck.

Grote Markt

The Great Square has been the main market square and the centre of Mechelen since Medieval times. As well as being home to the 14th century Town Hall and the Lakenhalle (Cloth Hall), the square is also lined with guild houses from the 16th – 18th centuries as well as cafes, bars and restaurants.

Stadhuis

The Town Hall has a rather jumbled appearance due to Margaret of Austria who, in 1526, had the left hand side of the building demolished and replaced by the current construction. The plans to demolish and rebuild the rest of the Town Hall were abandoned after her death in 1530. To the right of the building is the Lakenhalle (Cloth Hall). In front of the Stadhuis is a modern sculpture of “Op Signoorke”, the city’s mascot.

Technopolis

Mechelen’s latest attraction is an interactive science centre with a range of hands-on science and technology displays, which will help old and young alike better understand how things work. Experience such things as landing an aircraft, cycling on a high wire bike 5 metres above the ground, launching your own hot-air balloon or rocket, standing in a life-sized soap bubble, printing your own front page and much more. www.technopolis.be

The De Wit Royal Tapestry Manufacturers

A chance to see how the age-old Flemish tradition of tapestry is maintained. Visitors can see how new tapestries are made, still by hand, and learn how old tapestries are renovated and cleaned. Visitors are welcome at 10.30am every Saturday, with visits lasting around 90 minutes.

Breendonk Concentration Camp

Located 20km outside of Mechelen, in the village of Breendonk, this World War II concentration camp, originally built as a defence fortress, was used by the Nazis from September 1940 until August 1944 during the occupation of Belgium. Visitors can pass through the entrance gate, the tunnels, cells and rooms, the mortuary, dungeon, barracks, the execution square and the Bailey Bridge. In the former showers and kitchen, works of art can be seen that were made by the prisoners. There are also different rooms dedicated to the Nazi-occupation of Belgium and the Breendonk regime as well as to the post-war trials of the executors. A poignant memorial to the 4,000 men and women who lost their lives here.

The Jewish Museum of Deportation and Resistance

During the Nazi occupation of Belgium in World War II, Mechelen was chosen as a staging point for Belgian Jews who were destined for the concentration camps in Eastern Europe. Over 25,000 Jews passed through the centre, mostly en route to Auschwitz with only 1,200 surviving. Nowadays, the museum has displays depicting Jewish life in Belgium before the war as well as the sad story of the occupation, the deportations, the concentration camps, the resistance and liberation.

The Speelgoedmuseum (The Toy Museum)

Home to a huge collection over three floors of toys and interactive games, both antique and new, which will bring back memories for young and old.