Mechelen Travel guide

Mechelen - History

During the Gallo-Roman period an embryonic form of a settlement developed on the higher west bank of the river Dijle. Towards the end of the 3rd century, the Gallo-Roman influence crumbled away, while under the Merovingians and later the Carolingians, the well-wrought road network, once the pride of the Roman Empire, vanished from the landscape and the famous trade and communications languished. Here the local, mostly pagan- and superstitious tribes, were converted to Christianity by St. Rombold, an Irish Missionary and preacher.

In time a second settlement grew on the lower East bank around the Canon's chapter of St Rumbold. The most favourable situation of Mechelen triggered rivalry between the Prince Bishop of Liège, Lord of Mechelen, the Duke of Brabant and the powerful Berthout family, trying to curtail each other's influence.

The 13th and 14th century becoming the flourishing period of the Brabantine Cloth trade. The invasion of Brabant and the acquisition of Mechelen in 1357 by Louis de Male, Count of Flanders, will form the prologue to Burgundian supremacy (1384). The apogee of Mechelen's fame came with Margaret of Austria. Under her regency, Mechelen became the true political nucleus of the Netherlands. The exaltation of that euphoria did not last very long yet, after Margaret's death, Mechelen slipped away into a more provincial existence. Around the 1560's, Mechelen, struggling trough the revolt of the Netherlands and the uprising of the North, became the seat of Archbishopric. It survived the religious wars and the sacking of the town by the Spanish army under the command of the Duke of Alva.

In the 17th century, when the storm had died down, Mechelen thrived again, renowned for its lace, drapery, tapestry, gilt leather and its skilful Baroque woodwork. After the treaty of Utrecht signed in 1713, the Spanish Netherlands were placed under the sovereignty of the Austrian Habsburgs. During this period a canal was made, thus linking Louvain with Mechelen, bypassing the Dyle and considerably improving inland navigation.

The 19th century and the industrial revolution changed the more agrarian outlook of Mechelen, with new industrial plants due to an urgent need for modern communication, such as the first railroad on the Continent between Mechelen and Brussels (1835).

The 20th century saw two World Wars scarring the face of Mechelen and moving up-to-date industries towards new industrial zones on the town's periphery.

St. Rumbold's Tower
The landmark of Mechelen is the huge St. Rumbold's Tower (in Dutch : St. Romboutstoren). This impressive late-medieval tower can be seen from far away. Standing close to the tower it is immediately clear that the tower was designed to become very high. The construction was stopped in the 16th century because the town of Mechelen had financial problems.

Brussels has almost always been the most important city of the Low Countries, but for a short period (1st half of the 16th century) Mechelen was the capital of the Low Countries. At that time Margaret of Austria ruled here and had set up her court in Mechelen. Her successor, Charles V, again moved the court to Brussels. Nowadays, Mechelen is still the religious capital of Belgium. Here resides the Archbishop of Belgium.
Although Mechelen suffered badly during the World Wars of the 20th century, a lot of interesting and beautiful old buildings have been preserved. To name but a few: the St. Rumbold's Cathedral, the former Palace of Margaret of Austria, the Town Hall, and several really beautiful and enchanting houses.

Visitors to Belgium often only visit the main cities like Bruges, Brussels and Antwerp. This is because they don't know that a little bit outside of the beaten track, there are other beautiful historic sites in our country. Mechelen is one of those sites and deserves to be visited.