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Mechelen (French, Malines; German, Mecheln; traditional English-language name, Mechlin) is a city and municipality located in Antwerp Province, Flanders, Belgium. The municipality comprises the city of Mechelen proper and the villages of Heffen, Hombeek, Leest, Muizen, and Walem. On 1 January 2005 Mechelen had a total population of 77,480. The total area is 65.19 km², giving a population density of 1,188.53 inhabitants per km².
History
The area of Mechelen was first settled on the banks of the river Dijle during the Gallo-Roman period as evidenced by several Roman ruins and roads. The settlement declined during the 3rd-4th century and the area became inhabited by pagan Germanic tribes, who were converted to Christianity by the Irish missionary St. Rumbold, (Rombout in Dutch), who also built a monastery.
In the 15th century, the city falls under the reign of the Dukes of Burgundy. This marks the beginning of a prosperous period. In 1473 Charles the Bold moved several political entities over to the city, and Mechelen serves as the seat of the Superior Court until the French Revolution.
The highly lucrative cloth trade gained Mechelen wealth and power during the Late Middle Ages and it even became the capital of the Low Countries (very roughly the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg) in the first half of the 16th century under Margaret of Austria's reign.
During the 16th century the city's political influence decreases dramatically, due to a lot of the governmental institutes being moved to Brussels. The city compensates for this by rising to attention in the religious arena: in 1559 the city is proclaimed Archdiocese, a title that it only needed to share with Brussels since 1961. In 1572, during the Eighty Years' War, the city is burned and sacked by the Spanish. After this pillaging, the city was rebuilt. It was during this time that the tradition of furniture making, still seen today, begain appearing.
The city entered the industrial age in the 19th century, becoming the hub of the Belgian railway network, with the first train linking Brussels with Mechelen in 1835. This led to a development of metalworking industries, among others the central railway workshops which are still located in the town today.
Local Fame
The area around Mechelen is famous for the culture of vegetables, among which Belgian endive, asparagus and cauliflower. The Mechelse koekoek is a local poultry breed, fleshy chickens with black and white feathers which extend on the bird's legs, with colours reminescent of a cuckoo, hence the name.
The city is famous for the Mechlin lace.
Mechelen is home of two of the oldest Belgian football clubs: Racing Mechelen and K.V. Mechelen, both founded in 1904.
Places of interest
- The St. Rumbolds Cathedral
- The Brusselpoort, last remaining of the city's twelve gates.
- The Jewish Museum of Deportation and the Resistance
- The animal park Planckendael in Muizen
- The Toy's Museum
- The Large and Small Béguinages
External links
- Official website - Only available in Dutch
- Mechlin Lace
- A virtual city guide
- Jewish Museum of Deportation and the Resistance
- Restauratie Integratie Mechelen a local heritage conservation organisation (Website in Dutch with English summary page)
Books
- ISBN 90-583-7089-5, Michelin's "De Grote Gids België"
| Municipalities in Antwerp Province, Flanders, Belgium | ||
|---|---|---|
| Antwerp |  | |
| Mechelen | ||
| Turnhout | ||
| Bold indicates cities | ||