Sense-sational Mechelen

Sense-sational

Mechelen Experience the city with all your senses

Welcome to mechelen !

As you have just opened this brochure, chances are you are yet to discover Mechelen.

The notion that you are yet to see and experience Mechelen for the first time, fills us with some jealousy. We have known our city for a long time, but you are about to discover all those beautiful places, buildings and works of art! A lovely prospect.

In this guide of experiences, we take you on a journey of contrasts. Mechelen is, after all, a very diverse city, which makes it so fascinating. If you like old things, then

Mechelen is right up your street. Yet, if you prefer new architecture, then you will have plenty to feast your eyes on, too. The city is full of beautiful old buildings, some of which have been modernised, and is packed with traditions. In addition, there are plenty of hip and trendy places. In Mechelen, even right in the centre or on top of St Rumbold’s Tower  25 , you can enjoy the peace and quiet ... until suddenly, beautiful and serene carillon sounds reverberate, nothing short of a musical treat for your ears.

We strongly advise you to do this, so that you can keep a physical sensory diary of your visit to our beautiful city. There are numbers dotted around in the text. They refer to the places on the map of Mechelen at the middle of the guide.

We wish you an exciting introduction to Mechelen.

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in this guide

Husband & wife 2 Old & new 7 Large & Small 11 Green & Blue 16 City map 22 From here & from there 24 Sounds & Silence 27 Report on the Mechelen churches 31 Traditions & hip trends 33 Bitter & Sweet 37 Art & folk culture 41

tip !

Would you like to add an extra dimension to your visit? Then buy the Sense-sations Package that goes with this guide, a book of coupons that give your visit that extra edge. Each coupon entitles you to a specific local delicacy.

Sample them all to experience a wide range of typical Mechelen flavours.

Welcome to Mechelen!

Not only do we want you to get to know the city, we also want you to ‘experience’ it, just like we do every day. In this guide, many sensory observations run like a common thread through the texts. Immerse yourself in the pleasures of Mechelen and sample the city with all your senses. At the end of each chapter, we have left some space to record your own impressions.

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Husband & wife

Husband & wife

Anyone visiting Mechelen cannot possibly miss the two land­marks. Right in front of the sturdy and obviously male St Rum­bold’s Tower is the delicate feminine beauty of ‘Ons Margriet’ (Our Margaret), Mechelen’s nickname for Margaret of Austria.

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This massive landmark is visible from any­ where in Mechelen. When you see it looming on the horizon, it’s like coming home. In fact, Mechelen residents owe their nickname to it. A while back, the tower was in a cloud that was illuminated by the moon. A local misinterpreted the

glow of the moon and yelled: “Fire! Fire!”

Everyone came running to save the tower.

Since then, the Mechelen residents are known as “Maneblussers” (Moon Extinguishers).

Go up the tower!

For every visitor to Mechelen, an ascent of the tower is nothing short of a moral obligation, because if you don’t, you miss a unique climbing and viewing oppor­ tu­ nity. For those wondering how many steps there are: 513, to be precise. To access the skywalk, you have to add another 25. The first hall, which is also the first stopping place, is 157 steps high. From then on, the number of steps are regularly broken up, which makes the climb manageable. The tower is accessed from the front of St Rumbold’s Cathedral 25 .

Husband & wife

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ust a stone’s throw from the statue of Margaret of Austria 30 is the rounded St Rumbold’s Tower 25 , a truly impressive benchmark all of 97 metres tall. The tower was never finished, maybe the foundations were considered not strong enough to bear the weight?

Even Pope John Paul II did not fail to notice during his visit to Mechelen in 1985 that something was awry when he joked: ‘Do you think the tower is finished?’

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later became the uncrowned princess of Renaissance. In 1507, she became regent of the Netherlands and chose Mechelen as her city of residence 27 , which made Mechelen prosper politically, economically and culturally.

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St Rumbold’s Tower 25 has two carillons: an old one and, since 1981, a new one.

They each contain 49 bells, weigh forty tonnes each, and each bell has its own, obviously, male name. For example, the oldest, largest and heaviest bell is called Salvator (Saviour). The carillon has long been a purely male affair, because it was felt that only men could handle the heavy work involving fists and feet. Since 1929, the world of the carillon has, fortunately, become much more feminine. In that year, Adèle Colson started working as the first female carilloneur, albeit facing a heavy male headwind. For several years now, the Russian Elena Sadina has been teaching at the Royal Carillon School Jef Denyn 48 .

Husband & wife

Even more fascinating women in Mechelen

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Alongside all this rugged masculinity, there are fascinating women who have left their mark on Mechelen. For example, there was Margaret of York (1446-1503), who, after the death of her step-daughter Mary of Burgundy, dedicated her life to raising Mary’s children Philip the Handsome and Margaret of Austria (1480-1530), who

Another fascinating woman is artist Mayken Verhulst (1518-1589), a gifted Renaissance miniature painter. Her daughter married Pieter Brueghel the Elder, and so the talent stayed in the family.

Artist Maria Fayd’herbe (1587-1643) played a pioneering role in the introduction of a new baroque visual language. Her marble portrayal of ‘Mary and Child’ in the Church of St Peter and St Paul 26 was very progressive. The passion which this sculp­ture conveys is almost palpable.

She refused to consider painting portraits and floral arrangements - typical pursuits of female fellow artists of her time - and signed her works in full, including her first name. A feminist avant la lettre.

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Jan Smets of ‘Mechelen Blogs’, and arguably the biggest fan of Mechelen, openly shows his admiration for Margaret of Austria as he refers to her as: ‘A real classy lady! She was married off three times. At the tender age of three, she was linked to the French dauphin, who was thirteen at the time, and she was raised at the French court as future queen. After eight years, however, the dauphin sent her back home, upon which she was given in marriage to Don Juan, Spain’s heir to the throne. He was clearly not cut out for her, because he died during their honeymoon. Later on, she married Philibert of Savoy, but he, too, met an untimely death. Since she’d had it by then with husbands, she turned her attention to raising her nephew, the future Charles V. She led a rich life, both literally and figuratively speaking, and acquainted artists, musicians, poets and humanists alike. She was intelligent, well ahead of her time, diplomatic and assertive. Her influence was huge, something which the city of Mechelen also came to realise. In 1849, Jozef Tuerlinckx was commissioned to make a large statue 30 of Margaret. This made Mechelen the only city in the then young Belgian state which chose a female city symbol!’

Husband & wife

The Mechelen legend of ’t Opsinjoorke 33 is dedicated to the sometimes turbulent relationship between husband and wife. The statue on the Market Square 32 shows what happens when a man comes home drunk and beats up his wife. This cannot go unpunished, because he is catapulted into the air. And needless to say, the landing is pretty painful.

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Column – Christine Bonheure, visitor from Ghent

Husband & wife

St Rum­bold’s Tower

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You cannot help but wonder if climbing the 538 steps of the Rumbold’s Tower to be able to look down, which I can do from the ground too ... is worth the effort? Best not to dwell on it too much, just climb up to the skywalk. The first few steps on the stone spiral staircase go smoothly, and I can see the number of steps displayed on the wall: 50, 100, 150, …. this is encouraging. The walls feel cold and the draught that manages to get in here and there is more than welcome. Luckily, there are regular landings to catch your breath.

I pass the Crane Room, blacksmith, bell chamber, old and new carillon chamber and clock chamber, where I can hear the clock mechanism tick, grind and beat. The watchman tells me that I am now looking at parts of the largest skeleton clock in the world. Since the Mechelen residents used to be notoriously late, there used to be dials on all four sides of the tower. These have now disappeared, but a campaign group fights for their return. The next stop is the octagonal Ash Cellar, the all but highest area in the tower. A cellar in the top of the tower, you may wonder? That’s right, because this cellar was supposed to form the basis of the spire which never was ... The unique visual, sound and light show is a treat for the eyes and ears. And then the reward is in sight. A tour on the skywalk affords a fantastic vista of the city and surrounding area. Although it is quiet here, I can still hear the traffic and the city’s noise. A strange sensation. But one thing is certain: the climb was certainly worth the pain in the calf muscles!

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Old & new

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Mechelen is both modern and old. In recent years, the city has undergone a true metamorphosis, which has made Mechelen more attractive and enjoyable than ever. The perfect integration of old and new means that Mechelen is a blissful place to live and visit. removed and the above-ground car park was brought underground. What remains is a grassy slope, an oasis of calm right in the centre of Mechelen. A walking path leads you to the strikingly beautiful bronze statue of Nel, the wife of artist Rik Wouters, well-known late-impressionist, modernist and born in Mechelen. The light on the pleats in her skirt has a surprising effect. Feel free to touch them, if you like.

Old & new

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he Cultuurplein is a good example of the city’s modernisation plans, boasting, as it does, a cultural centre 22 housed in the former Franciscan monastery. In this beautiful setting, you can watch, experience, hear, see and feel everything much more clearly, thanks to the acoustics and sense of space. A little further away is St Rumbold’s Churchyard 23 , or at least what is left of it. The archaeological remains of the graves were

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Old & new

Also beautifully restored is the IJzeren­leen 35 , now the trendy boulevard of Mechelen, formerly the fish market. The upper classes who lived in the area disliked the pungent fish smells and got the market to move to ... the current Vismarkt 41 .

The IJzerenleen derives its name from the Gothic iron railings that prevented people from tumbling into the water. They are still there, in a good state of repair, but because the brook has been drained, the protection is now redundant. The houses seem old, but they are not. After the devastation of WWI, all the houses were rebuilt and the classical facades were given contemporary accents. You simply cannot get enough of the dazzling façades. The cosy terraces under the trees invite you to take a break, have a bite to eat or something to drink, in other words, do what makes life so enjoyable. Why don’t you come and take a seat.

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Throughout Mechelen, you will be struck by the successful combination of old and new. Even though the Korenmarkt 53 has been redeveloped, it is still dominated by the 16th-century Hof van Sint-Joris 52 , the former Crossbowmen’s guild house. In the same vein, the former brewery Lamot 45 has been partially demolished and replaced by a contemporary residential and shopping area. The other part accommo­ dates the Lamot Conference and Heritage Centre, one of Mechelen’s most daring feats of contemporary architecture.

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Old & new

Modern is also the silence in the city. Cars can enter the centre only during certain hours for loading and unloading. This allows you to stroll around and enjoy all off Mechelen’s splendour to the full. By the way, everywhere you walk, you will find cobblestones that have been kept in good order and clean.

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STILLNESS AT THE MUSEUM KAZERNE DOSSIN

A white and hopeful symbol to stop us forgetting. The new pentagonal museum opposite the old barracks consists of large glass windows on one side and bricked-up windows on the other.

Old & new

The Musem Kazerne Dossin 1 combine old and new by a tangible reconstruction of a dark period in Mechelen’s history. During WWII, a total of 25,484 Jews and 352 Sinti and Roma were gathered in its courtyard, with a view to being deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau on 28 freight trains.

Less than 5% of them returned. The museum seeks an answer to the question how this act of terror could have come to pass, and how you as an individual can go against the masses.

A film on the ground floor about human rights immediately brings the museum’s core message home. ‘Watch out! What could start with a minor case of harassment can lead to monstrosities on a grand scale.’

Next, you are taken from the first floor (Masses), across the start of the discri­ mination against Jews, to the second floor (Fear). That is where you will hear, by

means of recorded witness accounts, how Jews experienced discrimination first-hand.

On the third floor, entitled Death, a long corridor takes you straight into Auschwitz.

You walk along pictures of smiling SS officers on the left and fearful deportees on the right. Anguish all around. The fourth floor offers a glimpse of the courtyard of the Dossin Barracks, and also affords stunning views of Mechelen.

On different walls in the museum, victims are given a face. Only those in the sepia portraits survived the horrors. There is human tragedy behind each name. In the Memorial, the abandoned objects of victims, people like you and me, bring it all home to you. There is a marriage certificate of a couple who met at the barracks. As husband and wife who left on the train bound for Auschwitz, just one way.

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Large & small

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he Small 7 and Large Beguinages 3 are located just a few streets from each other in the northwest of the city. Both are charming on account of their short, narrow alleys and smartly refurbished and protected facades. Every morning (except for weekends), a faint smell wafts its way through the Large Beguinage. That is when Het Anker 4 – which is literally anchored in the Beguinage – starts up its brewing activities. With its

graceful arched gates, gabled rooftops, communal water pump, … the Beguinage is simply steeped in history. These days, the Beguinage provides homes for families, who brighten up the streets with fragrant, climbing roses and brightly coloured flowers on the window sills. In the 16th century, 1,800 beguines lived here, which is a very large number on a small area of Mechelen.

Large & small

With over 80,000 inhabitants and a surface area of nearly 28 square kilometres, Mechelen is neither big nor small. Its greatness lies in small details.

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Large & small

Next to the Small Beguinage, there are still two old refuge centres: that of the Abbey of St Truiden and that of the Abbey in Tongerlo. Those were places of refuge for priests who felt unsafe in the countryside, but they were also used as trading posts and lobby areas for the clergy.

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Mechelen for children

The Small Beguinage 7 dates back to the thirteenth century, while the Large Beguinage 3 is about 300 years younger.

The Baroque Beguinage Church 5 , with its creaking wooden floor, is very atmos­ pheric and certainly not to be missed.

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Large & small

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• Along Nekkerspoelstraat, you will find the Toy Museum 28 , displaying toys from all over the world. Certainly worth a visit, because children can play with all kinds of traditional games.

• Can you hear the children laugh and play in the city? Then you are probably near a ‘game incentive’. These toys stimulate children’s play. They can be found at the Small Beguinage 7 , Bornstraatje 2 , in front of Church of Our Lady-across-the-Dyle 57 and in Plank­straat 13 . Children can also play in the fountain of the Botermarkt and the water feature in Katelijnestraat.

• In Technopolis 61 , you will find fun, interactive experiments, spectacular demon­ strations, surprising science shows or an automatic theatre about the human body.

• At DE MAAN 18 , children and young people can sample arts, poetry and theatre.

• Planckendael 60 is an animal and adventure park in the Muizen district, housing both exotic and native animals.

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A Market Square for everyone

… except for Margaret of Austria 30 .

Her statue was moved from the Market Square 32 to the smaller Schoenmarkt 30 when it transpired that the construction of an underground car park and her excess weight were not compatible. From this prominent position, the regent commands a better view of the Market Square which, in fact, looks bigger than ever since then.

Saturday is market day. That is when there is the smell of grilled chicken and fish, and when market traders will try to sell all kinds of food, clothing and gadgets, and will not be quiet about it in doing so.

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Large & small

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Look at the houses: they date from different eras and are built in different styles. This is the ideal place to strike up a conversation with real Mechelen residents. How does their dialect sound to you?

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Between large and small

The autumn half-term break lasts one week and is around 1 November, schools break up for two weeks at Christmas and Easter, and the spring half-term break is around February. And then, there is, of course, the two-month-long summer break.

A bit of respite for school children, residents and visitors of Mechelen alike.

Even then, you will be able to spot a considerable number of young people in the city. If you happen to bump into them, feel free to talk to them, even if you don’t speak Dutch. Our young people will readily answer in English, French and German, because they are very proud of their multilingualism.

Large & small

Mechelen is a real centre of education, boasting many primary and secondary schools, and even a university college – the Thomas More college – where 18-year olds can follow three-year bachelor pro­ grammes. This being the case, Mechelen attracts many students, who add the typical student atmosphere. Consequently, before and after school hours, the city is overrun with young people. Especially on a Wednesday afternoon – the free school afternoon – and at weekends, you can see scattered groups of young people, strolling through the city, basking in the sun at the Botanical Gardens 56 , listening to a piece of music along the water, doing a spot of shopping, or just having fun.

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Green & Blue One glance down from the top of the Rumbold Tower will tell you that Mechelen treasures its greenery. However vibrant the city may be, the water features and many green areas allow you to wind down in many beautiful spots. One glance into the distance will reveal the blue and green belt surrounding the city, ideal for cycling and walking.

Blue + green = picturesque Until about one hundred years ago, there were dozens of brooks in Mechelen, but these have all been filled. Now the city is giving them a new lease of life. As a result, since 2007, you can stroll along the Melaan 20 again. Take a seat on a long, straight bank, feel the chill of the natural stone,

let your eyes rest on the water and enjoy the beauty. Another picturesque spot is the ‘Groen Waterke’ 16 , a brook that is normally completely covered in duckweed. Don’t miss the unlocked Helle­vlietje or Duivels­vlietje 8 in the Small Beguinage 7 , where, once again, beauty and tranquillity reign supreme.

Green & Blue

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Fifty shades of green the Mechelen scientist and botanist Rembert Dodoens. The garden of the Archiepiscopal Palace 15 is another large green oasis, even though it can only be seen from the Rumbold Tower 25 . for the time being. For yet more colours and scents, visit Vrijbroekpark 62 with its beautiful rose garden, a natural paradise on the outskirts of the city.

Green & Blue

One of the largest green spaces in the city is the Botanical Gardens 56 , a landscaped garden boasting tall solitary trees and nice places to picnic and where many species of plants and herbs thrive.

Put your knowledge to the test and try to guess the names of the herbs you see without cheating. Smelling is allowed, but not tasting. The garden also boasts a few beautiful statues, including that of

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Green & Blue

Mechelen is a city on the river Dyle. The city council’s investment in the Dyle towpath meant that everyone can now enjoy the river to the full. Along this wooden footpath on the water ( ), you can cross Mechelen, while still enjoying

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the salty smell of the Dyle and hearing and feeling the bangkirai decking move under your feet. But for the whistle of moorhens, yellow wagtails and other waterfowl, it is quiet here, because cyclists, roller bladers and skateboarders are not

Tom Kestens, recommendations by Mechelen green musician ‘My favourite green spot in Mechelen is without a doubt the barbecue area in Vrijbroekpark 62 . I often go there in the summer to barbecue, picnic or kick a ball around with my son or friends. Another favourite is the brand-new wooden stage in the renewed Botanical Gardens 56 . It is used for outdoor concerts and in between those, doing service as a giant bench in the middle of the park. As a green musician, I can, of course, appreciate the shape of the stage, namely a plectrum wrapped around a tree. Here, I sometimes get the feeling that I am in Hyde Park in London. In recent years, Mechelen has been given many new parks and gardens.’

water pepper, gypsywort and small-flowered winter-cress along the banks. In fact, from April to September, you can discover the city from a boat on the Dyle 40 .

Green & Blue

allowed. Feast your eyes and admire the stylish lofts and old buildings next to the water. Connoisseurs will recognise many exceptional wall flowers and plants, inclu­ ding black spleenwort, hart’s tongue fern,

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Sculptures are not exactly a marginal phenomenon in Mechelen. The city boasts hundreds of sculptures of known and lesser known artists. These spatial works of art embellish the Mechelen streets and squares, give the city artistic flair, but most of all, they make it cosy. Especially when they are integrated in a beautiful green setting, in which case you just want to sit on the grass, lie back and enjoy.

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Green & Blue

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Green & Blue

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From here & from there Mechelen is diverse not only in its buildings, but also when it comes to its residents. In the city, you can easily find one hundred different nationalities. Even though each of them have their own story to tell, they all bear witness to the fact that the people there are kindness impersonated.

From here & from there

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24

he Mechelen skyline is dominated by different church spires.

Hidden in the city, there are also two mosques  12 . They are places of prayer and reflection for the Muslim community in Mechelen. Since the 1960s, mainly Moroccans have settled in the city, partly in response to the Belgian Government’s appeal for additional labour. And since the 1980s, there has been an influx of Assyrian Christians who fled the regime in Turkey.

The last count stands at 5,000. Globalisation has brought countless nationalities to the city, far too many to mention, the majority of which have settled in remarkably well.

For example, four Assyrian brothers were chosen to ride the Ros Beiaard during the Hanswijk Cavalcade of 2013, the greatest honour that could befall any resident of Mechelen. Similarly, the members of the Mechelen family of giants has been extended by two new multicultural friends:

On account of its diversity, Mechelen has become a paradise for those who want to sample the world. Everywhere you go, you can smell the sweet scent from different cultures, and you can buy Russian, Polish, Romanian, Moroccan and Turkish pro­ ducts. Some shops smell so different and are so jam-packed with dried fruits, figs and herbs, you can hardly move.

Multicultural guides in Mechelen

Peter Meuris, born in Duffel, and Samira Essiaf, born in Mechelen with Moroccan roots, organise guided tours for people who want to know about Mechelen’s diversity. The stories of both ‘39 and overs’ - as they call themselves - sometimes run parallel, but not always. Both, however, focus on the many similarities between them.

Peter: ‘From my childhood, I mainly remember my visit to Gallery Anspach, the department store at the time, and the ‘clicking gadgets’ we got there from Santa.

Those were the days we were allowed to make a noise! Only after my marriage did I really get to the know the city, and it gave me such a boost that I wanted to pass this passion on to others.

Mechelen mirrors glo­ba­lisation and it is precisely this diver­sity that makes

Katrien Depoorter, visitor from Roeselare Mechelen is such a warm and multicultural place! Sometimes, you can tell from someone’s appearance that they are not from here.

Other times, it may just be a foreign accent or slightly different pronunciation that gives it away. Each time, I’m struck by how open these people are. When I visited the Botanical Gardens 56 , I was looking at some herbs and when I tried to smell them, a veiled and slightly plump and elderly Turkish lady explained to me how I could use them in the kitchen. The words came out with some difficulty, but the kindness and enthusiasm she displayed were heart-warming.

In every shop I entered, including those with the more exotic owners, I was treated like I was Margaret of Austria herself! Always friendly, attentive and polite. Fantastic!

From here & from there

Noa and Amir. Every two weeks, the Assyrians practise their faith in St Catherine’s Church 6 , when the church is always packed. Everyone is more than welcome, so feel free to go and watch and listen. The Congolese church services , on different places and times, are also open to everyone. Singing, dancing, hopping about, shouting ... it’s all done there!

Everyone is guaranteed a good time.

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From here & from there

Mechelen the pleasant city that it is today.

My favourite place? It must be the attic in the St Rumbold’s Cathedral 25 . Not open to the public - only accessible with a guide - it is truly beautiful and magical.’

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Samira: ‘I mainly remem­ber the weekend visits to my grandmother in Meche­ len, my ‘moey’. Her knowledge of Dutch was scant, but at the Saturday mar­ket 32 , she always mana­ ged to buy her vegetables at a reasonable price. She even taught the stallholders some basic words in Arabic, like ‘chokran’ (thank you) and ‘mezian’ (good). I’ve always been fasci­ nated by the Arab culture which has brought the western world so much.

Diversity is for me a real asset. Without this wealth of different cultures, Mechelen would have remained a small village. My favourite place is still the ‘Straatje-zondereinde’ 14 (Endless Lane). As soon as I step under the arch, I feel like I am about to enter a different world.’

Sounds & Silence

Sounds & Silence

Even though there is no shortage of sounds, what with Mechelen being a carillon city par excellence, there are still places in the city where you can enjoy the silence.

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ight melodies per hour. Every Mechelen resident grows up with the carillon sounds. This is hardly surprising, for nowhere else in Flanders are there so many carillons as here. St Rumbold’s Tower 25 has not one, but two, accounting for 98 bells in total. The Church of Our Lady-across-the-Dyle 57 has a carillon with 50 bells and the Hof van Busleyden 10 boasts 49. The latter is the training ground of the internationally acclaimed Royal Carillon School 48 that was founded in 1922 by Jef Denyn.

Students come from far and wide to learn the tricks of the trade. The courses take up seven years! Near the Hof van Busleyden, you can hear students practise, or even taking exams, on the carillon in the tower.

After a day in Mechelen, you will have heard lots of melodies, one or two of which might sound surprisingly contemporary.

Eight times per hour, the sounds of the St

Sounds & Silence

Did you know that the Russians do not use the term ‘carillon’, but ‘Mechelen sounds’ instead? This is ‘Malinovy Zvon’ in Russian.

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Summer concerts are ideally enjoyed from the cultural square.

Rumbold carillon echo around the city and the best place to appreciate these is un­ doubtedly the ‘Straatje-zonder-einde’ 14 (Endless Lane - which, by the way, does end).

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Sounds & Silence

At the Watchmakers’ Museum 47 , you can hear bells of an entirely different order.

Here, you will find watches of all shapes and sizes, and if you are lucky, you can see the owner Jozef Op de Beeck at work. There is a special tour for the blind. Jozef: ‘We have all kinds of educational material, including a clock tower reduced to human dimensions, dating back to 1600, non-fragile clocks in special shapes and tools which the visually impaired are welcome to handle. You can hear the ticking of the clocks, the tunes from the music boxes, the Angelus and Westminster peals, and many other chimes.’

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21

Finding your inner peace

work. Why not take a break and observe the dynamics of dancing nymphs and other beautiful statues on display here.

Sounds & Silence

Anyone who wants a break from the city, is welcome in one of the many churches in the city of Mechelen, but the finest Mechelen courtyard along Minder­ broeders­gang 21 is also a must-see. It forms part of ‘De Cellekens’, originally a shelter for single and needy women. It took sculptress Mariëtte Teugels and her husband eight years to restore these premises, and they allow all the passers-by to share in the enjoyment of their life’s

Frank Vaganée, Mechelen musician and City artist 2011-2013 ‘In the green De Nekker 29 area, I always find peace and quiet. I like going for a walk there and enjoying a beer at the Dyle a little further on. When I need a warm atmosphere, the Vismarkt 41 is my favou­rite place. Mechelen also offers a whole host of interesting cultural events that are a feast for the eye and ear.’

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Report on the Mechelen churches

‘Sacred and intimate, but not quiet’ The city of Mechelen boasts no fewer than eight historical churches. Although much has been said and written about these, most of the time, the focus is on what is worth seeing. But what is there to observe when you do not only use your eyes? Our editor teamed up with Herman Caullier, retired bank clerk and blind since the age of nineteen.

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for his attention. He is met with the same feeling in the gothic St John’s Church 17 , the richest of the city. Light and sober from the outside, but inside, crammed with precious art. I am not used to describing art works out loud while I look at them, but today, I do it almost automatically. As I share my eyes with Herman, a whole new world opens up to me, too. I try to describe all the different colours, the painted figures and their emotions in as much detail as possible. When we get to Rubens’ Miraculous Draught of Fishes in Church of Our Lady-across-the-Dyle 57 , and it strikes me, yet again, how many

Mechelen churches

It is a bright, warm day when Herman and I drive to Mechelen to visit four of the eight historic churches that are still unknown to us. They are accessible to the public every afternoon (except for Wednes­ days) between 1.00 pm and 5.00 pm (and 4.00 pm in the winter). We will visit St Rumbold’s Cathedral 25 , St John’s Church 17 , Church of Our Lady of Hanswijk 59 and Church of Our Ladyacross-the-Dyle 57 , in that order. Each time we enter a church, Herman taps repeatedly on the ground. An echo is all he needs to assess whether it is a very big or relatively small space we are in. ‘This is a really light church’, he says when we walk through St Rumbold’s Cathedral 25 .

Even though visually, he cannot distinguish between light and dark, he is right every time. ‘I just feel it’, he explains. The cathedral’s walls and pillars are, indeed, whitewashed from top to bottom. This is why it looks inviting and feels peaceful. To Herman, the cathedral makes a busy impression on account of all the paintings, sculptures and wood carvings that compete

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flowering hydrangeas. Once again, I try to describe what I see in great detail, Herman is listening and strokes the ornate robe of the Madonna.

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red robes appear in the painting, Herman says : ‘Red was used to demonstrate wealth, because the natural colour red was so rare in those days, it was even more expensive than gold.’

Mechelen churches

In two of the four churches, we are given maps showing a tour and details on the various works. They both propose to start on the left, but Herman prefers to move forward through the centre aisle because that way, he can absorb the space better.

The Church of Our Lady-across-theDyle 57 has wide, long corridors where it is quiet and pleasant to be. The modern stained glass windows that are way up high attract my attention. ‘Are there any special scenes depicted?’, Herman asks. Not really, because the lines in the stained glass windows are rigid and purely graphic.

Squares, rectangles, triangles and circles in many colours make for a playful light show.

‘There is a sacred, peaceful atmosphere in all the churches, but it is not quiet in there. In St Rumbold’s Cathedral, there were mediaeval chants, I was treated to a composition for clarinet by Mozart in St John’s Church and we were able to enjoy choral music at the Our Lady of Hanswijk Basilica which had apparently been recorded there’, says Herman when our trip is over. Did he have a favourite? ‘I thought they were all unique. The Cathe­ dral and St John’s Church reminded me of museums, while the Church of Our Lady of Hanswijk The Church of Our Ladyacross-the-Dyle felt more intimate and peaceful,’ is Herman’s verdict.

Herman feels the porous walls, drags his fingers over the detailed carving of the impressive pulpit and confessional chairs and smiles when he realises that St Joseph seems to be holding a cigar in the Cathedral.

It is probably a rose or lily, of which just the stalk is left. When we enter the Church of Our Lady of Hanswijk 59 , I am deeply impressed by the Mary statue which is central and surrounded by candles and

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Traditions & hip trends Mechelen has deep-rooted traditions which the residents hold dear. Besides that authenticity, the city has a trendy appeal with its hip stores and places of entertainment.

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Traditions & hip trends

M

echelen boasts many Houses of Tradition, establishments that have offered high-quality pro­ducts for more than three generations.

Cheese shop Schockaert 37 is one such address, where Italian, French and Belgian cheeses are sold with great knowledge and passion. For fresh fish, try the Fishmongers Emiel 42 , and the Inge Goderis Establish­ ment 58 , which has been around since 1900, specialises in anything related to crafts.

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and thread, you can hear a pin drop in the workshops. They only thing you will hear at the refuge is the sound of the metal comb which wool or silk weavers strike during the demonstration.

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Hip and trendy

You can shop to your heart’s content in the Bruul 49 , Mechelen’s largest shopping street, even though other streets, including Lieve-Vrouwestraat 54 or IJzeren­leen 35

Traditions & hip trends

The Royal Manufacturer De Wit 9 has been in existence for 125 years. This is the leading restorer of tapestries in the world. It is housed in the 15th century refuge of the Abbey of Tongerlo, a beautiful, historical building in Schoutetstraat. During the tours, you will see the extensive collection of old and modern tapestries and you can feel the wool and silk that are used for weaving. As the restorers only use needle

Mechelen has a rich procession tradition.

Since 1272 - so for over 700 years! – the Hanswijk procession has been adorning the streets of the city in honour of Mary. In Hanswijkstraat, you will find the imposing Church of Our Lady of Hanswijk 59 , and every 25 years, there is the Hanswijk Cavalcade. In this two-hour parade, a huge number of horses are deployed. As the last Cavalcade was in 2013, we have a bit of a wait until 2038 for the next edition. Then there is the Mechelen Ommegang, a tour of the Ommegang Giants, the Ros Beiaard and other figures through the city, which traditionally rounds off the Hanswijk Cavalcade, but also performs in between, on special occasions.

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are definitely worth a visit, too. If shopping is not your cup of tea, then why don’t you watch the world go by from one of the city benches. Make sure you visit the Vismarkt 41 . A very inviting square, the place to be in the Mechelen nightlife, with trendy restaurants, brown cafes and the stylish Vé hotel. Since 2011, the Fish market and the Lamot site 45 have been linked by an ultramodern pedestrian bridge across the Dyle.

Critics talk about that ‘Lamot(t)ish (rickety) bridge’… even though you can view the Van Beethoven Bridge 44 as a trendy element in a traditional framework. It’s very practical anyway. Near the Lamot site, there is Martin’s Patershof 51 , an imposing church hotel. In this former church, you can book a heavenly night or just have a drink in the bar.

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Traditions & hip trends

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Traditions & hip trends

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A day of shopping with Astrid Mora, manageress of the concept store roseMamuze in the hip Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe­ straat ‘No place better illustrates traditions and trends than Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe­ straat 54 , where old-school traders that have been there for ever live comfortably next to young talent which successfully experiments and livens up the street like never before. And somewhere in between those two, I find myself, 39 years old, bridging, as it were, the two generations.’

‘I always used to wear black. The OLVstraat has literally brightened me up. I always find the perfect outfit there. It’s also a good place if you look for jewellery, pyjamas or duvet covers.

Some boutiques are so cosy that I could spend hours in them. I also like to go elsewhere in the city. There are so many contrasting scents, like that of fresh fish, old-fashioned cigars (Windels Establish­ ment 38 ) and fresh flowers … They suck me into the stores, as it were. Before, during, or after, I will press the pause button for a coffee break in one of the many coffee bars in the centre. That is where you’re served a cappuccino with a heart, literally and figuratively speaking.’

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Bitter & Sweet

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ven the meat is sweet around here! The city’s top culinary spe­ ciality is the Mechelen Cuckoo, an old Belgian chicken breed. Traditionally, this chicken breed is fed a special mix of buckwheat and milk powder at the end of its life. This gives the succulent meat its white colour and its refined, somewhat sweet taste. Finger-lickin’ good, especially in combination with fried potatoes, fresh vegetables and a beer sauce.

For a refined snack, just pop into Choco­ latier Gauthier 36 for his artisan choco­ lates or baker’s Vanderbeek 34 or Matthys 11 where you can enjoy the scents of freshly baked delicatessen. Why not try a ‘Mane­ blussertje’ (sugar-glazed or choco­late-filled biscuit) or a fresh Mechelen ‘margrietje’ (lemon biscuit) and take crunchy Meche­len ‘torentjes’ (shortbread) home with you as a souvenir. It is said that the late Queen Astrid considered the Mechelen Merveilleuxkes

Bitter & Sweet

Did you know that Mechelen played an important role during the Burgundian period? The fact that Mechelen residents still like to lead a gourmet lifestyle bears witness to this, as do the many gastronomic restaurants, cosy bistros, café restaurants and chips shops in the city. You can experience bitter and sweet anywhere.

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‘In order to obtain the correct level of bitterness, we use Belgian hops almost exclusively. The extensive range of flavours can be attributed to the many herbs. Our Christmas beer, for example, is enhanced with liquorice and star anise, and the Tripel contains chamomile and curaçao. The recipes of our beers are all completely different.’ (Hans Rubens, Het Anker)

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to be the best in the country. Rightly so, because they are a real treat. Since then, this meringue pastry has been referred to as an ‘Astridje’.

Beer tasting in brasserie Het Anker is a must for everyone who sets foot in the centre of Mechelen. The typically heady smells that dominate the Beguinage area 3 first thing in the morning lead you straight into the bar, where you are met with fruity beer smells. The Gouden Carolus beers, the Lucifer and Mane­ blusser are available continuously on tap. Right now, sampling and enjoying to the full a unique tasting experience in a magnificent setting is all that is required of you.

Best beer in the world

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Bitter & Sweet

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Het Anker has been presented with dozens of prestigious awards both at home and abroad. The Gouden Carolus Classic, for example, has, thanks to its beautiful balance between sweet and bitter, rich fruit flavours and a long, warm aftertaste, been repeatedly

Beer lovers should not leave Mechelen without visiting Het Anker 4 where their taste buds and nose are in for a treat.

During the guided tour, they will discover which malt, hops and spices form the basis of thirteen different beers, and they are welcome to sample them at the end.

Since food-pairing with beer is trendy these days, Het Anker 4 cheese shop Schockaert 37 decided to hop on the bandwagon and come up with some surprising beer/cheese combinations. At Schockaert, you can buy Brewer’s cheese If you have no time for a guided tour, but would like to taste the beer, 15 cl sampling glasses are available individually, per three or per five tastings in the brasserie Het Anker.

Beer is sampled from light to dark, or in ascending order of alcohol percentage.

Right-handers start on the right. Makes sense, no?

that is made with Gouden Carolus Tripel in the curd, and baker Van Eeckhout (Broodnodig) 55 sells Mechelkorn bread that is made with Het Anker’s beer yeast.

Sample and enjoy an exciting gastronomic experience.

The bitter taste of football For over a hundred years, there has been a fierce rivalry between the supporters of the two biggest football clubs in Mechelen: Racing Mechelen (green and white) and KV Mechelen (yellow and red). The latter won the European Cup in 1989 against the Dutch top club Ajax. If you want to strike up a conversation with a Mechelen resident, just ask him/her which club they support. You’re in for an animated conversation!

Bitter & Sweet

voted the best dark beer in the world.

The Emperor’s Cuvées are brewed only one day in the year, on 24 February, which is Emperor Charlemagne’s birthday. Like a fine wine, the taste of this glorified version of Gouden Carolus gets better with time.

Moreover, Het Anker does not confine itself to beer. The end of 2013 saw the launch of the Gouden Carolus Single Malt Whisky.

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A salty history In 1301, Mechelen obtained the right to stack salt. That precious product (in ‘prefridge times’ an important preservative) was ferried to, and unloaded at, the ‘Grootbrug’, which was then re-named ‘Zoutwerf’ 46 . Note the two authentic facades of ‘De Waag’, where the salt was weighed, and ‘De Steur’, the former warehouse. Admire the lush Renaissance facade of ‘In den Grooten Zalm’, the fishmongers’ craft house. ‘De Kleine Zalm’, to the right of De Waag, used to be the ‘Innehuysken’ also known as a tax office avant la lettre.

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Bitter & Sweet

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Yves Desmet Editor-in-chief of the Flemish broadsheet De Morgen and notorious foodie from Mechelen recommends: ‘Mechelen gourmets are spoiled, as there are plenty of gastronomic restaurants and brasseries to choose from. If you look for a cosy café restaurant, you should definitely visit the Vismarkt 41 where you will find the best mussels in town. I like to have some chips from time to time, and when I do, I always buy them at frituur de Korenmarkt 53 , which has been around for 35 years, and is close to where I live. My favourite café - for over 30 years - has been De Gouden Vis 43 , the brownest pub in town.’

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Art & folk culture

M

echelen has a fascinating array of things to offer in the world of theatre, dance, cabaret and literature. Do you know what is the hardest thing for theatre lovers in Mechelen?

Having to make choices. Again and again, they have to choose what to see next. Why not go for something fairylike by De Maan 18 puppet theatre in the equally enchanting

setting of a Franciscan monastery? That is also where the cultural centre 22 is located, otherwise known as the cultural temple of Mechelen. Experts believe that it boasts the country’s most beautiful exhibition rooms.

In one of them, the diminutive Garage 24 , you come into close contact with young visual art that fits in seamlessly with collections of other museums.

Art & folk culture

The Mechelen churches are renowned for their splendour, and the museums, too, boast many beautiful works. Moreover, all kinds of artistic initiatives pop up like mushrooms. Just as well, because art breathes new life into a city.

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Christof Vrancken, Countour Light

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Art & folk culture

Art in abundance

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Every two months, Gallery Transit 50 organises a new exhibition in a beautiful Art Deco building. The former factory warehouse Hangar311 63 has become a place where the beauty of figurative art brings inner peace to the visitor, even though the art café will soon bring them back down to earth. Every odd year, Contour focuses on moving image, film, video and installations under the name of the ‘Biennale of Moving Image Mechelen’, and in the even years, Contour shows all kinds of projections and installations in the public space of an old chapel. Goosebumps guaranteed. In Gallery Duende 19 , the unique outsider art of artists with a mental disability or a psychiatric background will leave you feeling a little uncomfortable.

And finally, the Congress and Heritage Centre Lamot 45 will introduce you to Mechelen’s unique heritage in a very accessible way.

Great painters, such as Rubens and Van Dijck, left their mark in Mechelen. For example, St John’s Church 17 is the perfect place for ‘The Adoration of the Magi’ by Rubens, while Brueghel mainly painted allegories in scenes from peasant life, one of which can be found in the Zotte Kunstkabinet, along with paintings by other painters who drew on him for inspi­ ration. In the Toy Museum 28 , children can step into a life-size copy of his work ‘The Children’s Games’ and learn about games of long ago.

Mechelen and Rik Wouters are inextricably linked. This late-impressionist artist born in Mechelen died at the tender age of 33.

After his death, Rik’s wife Nel donated all his sculptures, paintings and works on paper to the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, but because this museum is being given a thorough overhaul, part of Wouters’ collection is on display at the

Rik Wouters, Self portrait

Schepenhuis Museum 31 until the end of 2017. The collection is certainly worth a

visit. You can feel nothing but admiration when you see the range of colours in his paintings, the smooth lines in his drawings and the expressive modelling technique in his sculptures.

The city is also peppered with beautiful poems, a tribute to the beauty of the language. And since we are on the subject of language, we would like to mention the bookstores in the centre, where you can enjoy a special book atmosphere with, or without, a coffee. In addition, you cannot fail to notice the knitted and crocheted works which the residents of Mechelen have tied around trees, railings and other objects. An initiative which certainly adds an element of fun to the city centre.

Art & folk culture

Pieter Paul Rubens, The Adoration of the Magi

17

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Make sure to visit the Palace of Margareta of Austria 27 , the earliest Renaissance building in the Low Countries. The beauti­ ful facade and glorious courtyard of the Court of Savoye will take your breath away.

At least, as long as you visit this Court of Justice as a tourist or enthusiast. Should you visit it for a different reason, then it may leave a rather more sinister aftertaste ...

Art & folk culture

27

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Frans Wal­ravens, Kijken naar de maan

There are beautiful sculptures dotted all over the city. You should definitely try to find the sculpture ‘Kijken naar de maan’ (Watching the Moon) by Frans Walravens, a small but subtle work on the Haverwerf 39 . Another discovery is Hofke van Olijven. This group of sculptures behind bars is located opposite St John’s Church 17 . Religious people used to congregate here to pray, and they would move on to the nearby Klapgat for a chat. Maybe something to emulate?

End & Beginning Even though your visit to Mechelen has come to an end, it has not quite finished.

We are, after all, convinced that you will have many fond memories of your visit to our beautiful city and you will treasure those for many years to come.

not just a reference guide, but also a lasting souvenir of tangible memories of Mechelen.

If you are looking for more inspiration, then please come and pay us a visit!

Mechelen Tourism

Did you feel, smell, see and experience Mechelen? And have you noted these expe­riences down in this guide? Not yet?

Make sure you do! That makes this guide

Hallestraat 2-4-6 - 2800 Mechelen www.visitmechelen.be - +32 70 220 008 Facebook & Instagram: Visit Mechelen

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© 2013 all rights reserved. No parts of this booklet may be reproduced, stored in a computerized data­ base or published in any form or by any means, whether electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recor­ ding or in any other way without the prior written permission of the publisher. All the texts and photo­ graphs remain the property of the publisher.

COLOFON R.e. Frank

Nobels, VVV Mechelen vzw, Hallestraat 2-4-6, 2800 Mechelen Texts Magelaan / Toerisme Mechelen photography Magelaan / Milo Profi / Koen Broos / Layla Aerts / Toerisme Mechelen creation Magelaan Depotnummer D/2013/10717/9 Thanks to Thomas More University College

End & Beginning

We have taken the greatest care to ensure that the published information is accurate and up-to-date.

However, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies or subsequent changes.

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