Mechelen (Dutch pronunciation:[ˈmɛxələ(n)]ⓘ;French:Malines[malin]ⓘ; historically known asMechlin in English[n 1]) is a city andmunicipality in theprovince ofAntwerp in theFlemish Region ofBelgium. The municipality comprises the city of Mechelen proper, some quarters at its outskirts, the hamlets ofNekkerspoel (adjacent) and Battel (a few kilometers away), as well as the villages of Walem,Heffen, Leest, Hombeek, and Muizen. The riverDyle (Dijle) flows through the city, hence it is often referred to as theDijlestad ("City on the Dyle").
Archaeological proof of habitation during theLa Tène era in the triangleBrussels–Leuven–Antwerp, mainly concentrated around Mechelen, which originated in wetlands, includes an 8.4-metre-long (28 ft) canoe cut from an oak tree trunk and a settlement of about five wooden houses, atNekkerspoel.[5]
The area of Mechelen was settled on the banks of the river during theGallo-Roman period as evidenced by severalRoman ruins and roads. Upon Rome's declining influence during 3rd–4th centuries, the area became inhabited byGermanic tribes. A few centuries later, it waschristianized, assumedly by the Irish or Scottish missionarySt Rumbold (Dutch:Rombout), who was also said to have built a monastery. Work on the cathedral that is dedicated to the saint started around 1200.
Antwerp lost profitablestapelrechten (rights as first seller) for wool, oats and salt to Mechelen in 1303 whenJohn II,Duke of Brabant, grantedcity rights to the town. This started a rivalry between these cities that would last well into the 20th century.
Taking of Mechelen by theGeuzen under the command of Olivier van Tympele and John Norreys on 9 April 1580 byNicolaas van Eyck
In the 15th century, the city came under the rule of theDukes of Burgundy, marking the beginning of a prosperous period. In 1473,Charles the Bold moved several political bodies to the city, and Mechelen served as the seat of theSuperior Court until theFrench Revolution. In 1490, a regular postal service between Mechelen andInnsbruck was established.
During the 16th century, the city's political influence decreased dramatically, due to many governmental institutions being moved toBrussels in 1530 and after thegunpowder magazine explosion of 1546. Mechelen compensated for this by increasing prominence in the religious arena: in 1559 it was proclaimed theArchdiocese of Mechelen, seat of religious authority over the territory that would eventually become Belgium. In 1961, "Brussels" was added to the title, resulting in the currentArchdiocese of Mechelen–Brussels.
Mechelen also retained further relevance as theGreat Council of Mechelen remained the supreme court of the territory until theFrench Revolutionary Wars. In 1572, during theEighty Years' War, the city was burned and sacked by the Spanish during theSpanish Fury at Mechelen. After this pillaging, the city was rebuilt. It was sacked again in 1580 during theEnglish Fury at Mechelen. It was during this time that the tradition of furniture making, still seen today, began.
In 1718, a major rebellion took place in the city, angry mobs entered the Town Hall. During this time LordPierre de Romrée was mayor of Mechelen. The chaos ended when the Emperor formally requested the President of theGreat Council to restore peace. On 18 June,Christophe-Ernest de Baillet received a full list of the people who led the troubles. The President received the support of multiple regiments that had been sent by imperial command. After negotiations de Baillet restored peace and order in the city.[6]
In 1781,Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor, ordered the destruction of the city's fortified walls – their former location however continues to be referred to in the Latin termsintra muros (within the walls) andextra muros (outside), and meanwhile the site became that of the inner ring road.[7]
The city entered the industrial age in the 19th century. In 1835, the first railway on the European continent linkedBrussels with Mechelen, which became the hub of the Belgian railway network.[8] This led to a development of metalworking industries, among others the central railway workshops which are still located in the town today. During theSecond World War, the extensive Mechlinian[n 1] railway structure had caused theNazi occupation forces to choose Mechelen for theirinfamous transit camp. Over 25,000Jews andRoma were sent by rail toAuschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp from Mechelen. The site of the transit camp and a purpose-built complex across the public square, now house theKazerne Dossin Memorial, Museum and Documentation Centre on Holocaust and Human Rights.
Several famous meetings on the Christian religion are connected to the name of the city. One in 1909 is thought to have inaugurated theLiturgical Movement. Between 1921 and 1925, a series of unofficial conferences, known as theMalines Conversations,[n 1] presided over byCardinal Mercier and attended by Anglican divines and laymen, includingLord Halifax, was the most significant of early attempts at the reconciliation between theAnglican and Roman Catholic Churches.
Most cities in Flanders have a mock name for their inhabitants. Since 1687, for their heroic attempt to fight thefire high up in the Saint-Rumbold's Tower, where the gothic windows had shown the flaring of only the moon between clouds, Mechlinians have been calledManeblussers (moon extinguishers).[9]
The city's 17th-century wooden mascot, which since 1775 has been calledOpsinjoorke 'the doll', is pulled about on a sheet as part of the Ommegang. Nowadays, it is the replica that is so pulled around the city. A recent bronze statue depicting theOpsinjoorke stands in front of the Belfry.
The annual parade of carts decorated with flowers (comparable to that ofBlankenberge for Mechlinian florists still prepare up to half of decorations), and with vegetables—all of which are local to the area—has been indefinitely canceled since the beginning of the 21st century due to lack of financing by the city.[10]
A statue of Our Lady of Hanswijk is carried through the city during the procession in 2013
In spring, a legendary holy statue of Our Lady is the main feature in the Procession of Hanswijk.
Mechelen used to have its own newspaper calledde Krijgstrompet, which was the official newspaper of the army.
Informally, many Mechlinians (DutchMechelaars, locally pronouncedMecheleirs) speak Mechlinian (Mechels), a Dutch dialect which is distinct from otherBrabantic dialects.
Since 1995, a subscribers' quarterly,De Mecheleir, shows old photographs of Mechelen and has stories on the local history, as well as a few columns written mimicking the dialect, for which there is no standard spelling.[11]
One of the four breeds of the Belgian Sheepdog is the localMalinois. TheMechelse koekoek is a local poultry breed, fleshy chickens with black and white feathers which extend on the birds' legs, with colours reminiscent of acuckoo, hence the name.
Mechelsen Bruynen was allegedly the emperorCharles V's favourite beer. A version is still brewed in the city at Het Anker brewery, one of the oldest breweries in Belgium.[15]
Mechelen has anoceanic climate (KöppenCfb). Mechelen has a narrow temperature range between seasons for its high latitude, despite its inland position. Summers are warm and occasionally hot, whereas winters usually remain above freezing. Similar to Belgium as a whole, the climate is relatively cloudy and receives frequent rainfall, often light.
Climate data for Mechelen (1981–2010 normals, sunshine 1984–2013)
Home of two old Belgianfootball clubs, founded in 1904:K.R.C. Mechelen andK.V. Mechelen. The latter contributed to the international glamour of the city by winning theUEFA Cup Winners' Cup and theEuropean Super Cup in 1988. The number of lesser local teams shows this sport's popularity: Rapid Leest, Sporting Mechelen, Leest Utd., VV Leest, Walem, SK.Heffen, Zennester Hombeek, FC Muizen. In1985, the city hosted theCanoe Sprint World Championships.
There are several important cathedrals and churches in Mechelen. Most famous is Sint-Romboutskathedraal (St. Rumbold's Cathedral) with its dominating tower, which was consecrated in 1312 and is inscribed on theUNESCO World Heritage List as part of theBelfries of Belgium and France site.[17] The domed,baroqueBasiliek van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-van-Hanswijk, a famous place of pilgrimage in Belgium, was designed by native architectLucas Faydherbe, some of whose sculptures can also be found in the cathedral, and was completed in 1876. The Kerk van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-over-de-Dijle (Church of Our Lady across the river Dijle) and the Sint-Janskerk exhibit work fromRubens, including 'The Adoration of the Magi' and 'The Miraculous Draught of Fishes' respectively. Other important churches in Mechelen include the baroque Begijnhofkerk (Church of the Beguines, dedicated to St. Alexis and St. Catherine); the former Jesuit church Sint-Pieter en Pauluskerk (Saints Peter and Paul); and the present JesuitChurch of Our Lady of Leliendaal.
Other religious buildings in Mechelen include the Palace of theArchbishop of theArchbishopric of Mechelen-Brussels, still in use for its original purpose by the currentArchbishop De Kesel. These palaces may not be open to the public in general but do offer a good external view. The Klein Begijnhof and the Groot Begijnhof (Small and LargeBeguinages), which house lay religious women, form part of theFlemish Béguinages World Heritage Site.[18] The grounds of theTheravada Buddhist place of worshipWat Dhammapateep (Temple of the Flame of Truth or Reality as taught by the Enlightened One) has since 2005 housed a green granite Buddha, sculptured in China, seated on a dark green granitesocle – the tallest granite Buddha in Europe.
The Refuge of Grimbergen, the Refuge of Villers, the Refuge of Rozendaal, the Refuge of Sint-Truiden and the Refuge of Tongerlo, are retreat mansions for distant abbeys, the latter now housing the Manufacturer De Wit which restores the finesttapestries, for which Flanders was famous in the 16th century.
The Lakenhal (acloth hall) and the 14th-centuryBelfry beside it are now incorporated with the modern City Hall complex on the main square. The hall and belfry are part of theBelfries of Belgium and France World Heritage Site for their civic importance and architecture.[17]
Many famous people resided in Mechelen in the 16th-19th centuries, and their houses still remain today. TheHof van Savoye was built forMargaret of Austria while she was regent of the Netherlands and in it she raised the laterCharles Quint. It is one of the first Renaissance buildings north of the Alps and was converted to the meeting place of for courts of justice in 1609. In addition, Mechelen contains the "Hof van Nassau", a 15th-century building which served as temporary court ofMargaret of York when she arrived in Mechelen after her marriage withCharles the Bold, as well as the palace she resided in after Charles's death.
Other notable houses from the time period include:
TheBotanical Garden of Mechelen (Kruidtuin), a city park with marble statue of the 16th-centurybotanistRembert Dodoens; Vrijbroek recreational park with around June its outstanding Rose Gardens and in summer its Dahlia Garden; the Tivoli Park with Children's Farm
The Clock Museum, also known as the Watchmakers' Museum
't Groen Waterke, a picturesque small remnant of bygonecanals – in particular of the Melaan, of which a longer stretch was after more than a century uncovered in 2007.
A stone pillarDe Mijlpaal, now prominent in front of the station, had marked the nearby destination point of the first passenger train ride on the continent. The name was adopted by the railway workers' club for miniature model trains, and by a small museum housed in one of the oldest railroad buildings commemorates the historical event and consequent local industry of national importance.[20]
There are over 300 protected monuments in Mechelen.[21]
The city council consists of 43 councillors, elected every six years. The mayor isBart Somers (Open Vld) since 2001. In October 2019Alexander Vandersmissen became acting mayor becauseBart Somers became minister in the Flemish government, he retains the title of mayor. The Vld-Groen-M+kartel got an absolute majority of seats in theOctober 2018 election.
The 2019-2024 city council, elected in October 2018, consists of:
The city of Mechelen usesANPR cameras since September 2011 to check all inbound and outbound cars against a database of stolen, non-insured and cars listed for other reasons. In case of a positive match, an alarm is generated in the dispatching room, enabling the police to quickly intercept the car. Mechelen was one of the first cities in Belgium to use ANPR on this scale. As of early 2012, 1 million cars per week are checked in this way. Mechelen started this project with SAITZenitel.[22]
Mechelen is a diverse city with over 100 nationalities, and has a significant Muslim population. The city is estimated to be around 20% Muslim as of 2016, with much of the community ofMoroccan origin.[23]
Margaret of York, Duchess of Burgundy (1446–1503). Note: several children who later became queens of European countries had received an education at her court.
^abcMechelen has been known in English asMechlin, from where the adjectiveMechlinian is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical context. The city's French name,Malines, had also been used in English in the past (in the 19th and 20th centuries); however, this has largely been abandoned. Meanwhile, the Dutch-derivedMechelen began to be used in English increasingly from the late 20th century onwards, even whileMechlin remained still in use (for example, aMechlinian is an inhabitant of this city or someone seen as born-and-raised there; the term is also the name of the city dialect; as an adjectiveMechlinian may refer to the city or to its dialect.
^The birth date of Anne Boleyn is uncertain. From the spring of 1513 to the autumn of 1514, as daughter of a high ranked diplomat she lived either inMargaret's palace, as the laterCharles Quint, if she would have been nearly his age; or just across the street inMargaret of York's palace if significantly younger. Margaret of Austria affectionately referred to Anne as "la Petite Boleyn" during a formative stage in her upbringing at the court.
^Tourism in Flanders(PDF), Flemish Department of Foreign Affairs, 10 April 2008, retrieved19 October 2009,In terms ofinternational tourism, the emphasis lies on six magnificent historic and geographically concentrated cities of art: Brussels, Antwerpen, Brugge, Gent, Leuven and Mechelen[dead link]
^ab"Belfries of Belgium and France".UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved5 November 2021.
^"Flemish Béguinages".UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved6 November 2021.
^"Mechelen – a unique experience"(PDF). on www.visitflanders.co.uk – K. Vancraeynest D/2005/0797/061 supported by City of Mechelen, Province of Antwerp, Tourism Flanders. 10 June 2005. Retrieved27 January 2007.
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