Mechelen tourist information

Mechelen is a city and municipality located in Antwerp Province, Flanders, Belgium. The municipality comprises the city of Mechelen proper with some quarters at its outskirts; its hamlets of adjacent Nekkerspoel and at a few kilometres Battel; as well as the villages of Walem, Heffen, Hombeek, Leest, and Muizen. On 1 January 2006 Mechelen had a total population of 78,268. The total area is 65.19 km², giving a population density of 1,201 inhabitants per km².

Things to do # The Sint-Romboutskathedraal (St. Rumbolds Cathedral) with its dominating tower (UNESCO World Heritage ID 943-016); the Sint-Janskerk (Church of St. John the Evangelist) exhibits 'The Adoration of the Magi' and the Kerk van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-over-de-Dijle (Church of Our Lady across the river Dyle) 'The Miraculous Draught of Fishes', paintings by Rubens; the domed baroque Basiliek van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-van-Hanswijk (Basilica of Our Lady of Hanswyck) by native architect Lucas Fayd'herbe, of whom some sculptures can also be found in the cathedral - he was a pupil and leading assistant of Rubens; 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). # The Brusselpoort, last remaining of the city's twelve gates, 13th century; the Schepenhuis, oldest stone-built city hall in Flanders, historical seat of the 'Grote Raad' (Great Council or Supreme Court), 13th century; the gothic-renaissance Hof van Busleyden where Jeroom alias Hiëronymus van Busleyden received Erasmus, Thomas More, and the later Pope Adrian VI. These three recently restored buildings together now house the City Museum. # The Palace of Margaret of York when widowed of Charles the Bold, now the City Theatre; the oldest renaissance building north of the Alps, Palace of archduchess Margarete of Austria while as regent of the Netherlands still raising the later Charles Quint, then for centuries the Supreme though now a lower Court of Justice; in one of these palaces, Anne Boleyn was educated for some time as well; the Palace of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic province Belgium, still in use for its original purpose by Cardinal Danneels. These palaces may not be open to the public in general but do offer a good external view. # The Lakenhal (hall for merchants of woollen cloth) and the 14th century Belfry (UNESCO World Heritage ID 943-015) beside it, form now the City Hall at the Grand Market square. # The Klein Begijnhof and the Groot Begijnhof (UNESCO World Heritage ID 855-003) (Small and Large Béguinages) # The Jewish Museum of Deportation and the Resistance # Technopolis, center for hands-on Science and Technology # The Toy Museum at Nekkerspoel # The animal park Planckendael in Muizen # The Kruidtuin or "Botanique" inner city park with marble statue of the world famous 16th century herbalist Rembert Dodoens alias Dodonæus; the foresty Vrijbroek recreational park with around June its outstanding Rose Gardens and in summer its Dahlia Garden; the Tivoli Park with Children's Farm

Lonely Planet City and Country Guides^{(external sources)}