Mechelen Gerechtsgebouw

Northeast Belgium


The city’s step-gabled courthouse was once Margaret of Austria's palace (from 1506). Despite many subsequent alterations, it maintains a gorgeous courtyard garden where Charles Quint would have played as a boy.

To gain access you need to enter via an ugly 1989 building, explain yourself to the receptionist then cross the inner car park.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Northeast Belgium attractions

1. St-Petrus & Pauluskerk

0.06 MILES

Dating from 1677, this fine church has a very spacious feel, with two rows of whitewashed Corinthian columns and an elegant altarpiece of pale grey marble…

2. Speelgoedmuseum

0.22 MILES

With 7000 sq metres of dolls, teddies, toys, games and other pastimes, the wonderful Speelgoedmuseum has lots to keep the kids busy. Meanwhile, adults can…

3. Hof van Busleyden

0.24 MILES

After years of preparation, Mechelen's historical museum should have reopened by the time you read this, offering state-of-the-art interactive exhibits…

4. Stadhuis

0.24 MILES

Balancing the massive bulk of St-Romboutskathedraal across Mechelen's splendid Grote Markt is the contrastingly poetic stadhuis in all its devil-may-care…

5. St-Janskerk

0.28 MILES

Built in white sandstone, the 15th-century Gothic church of the 'two Johns' (Baptist and Evangelist) looks fairly unremarkable from the outside. However,…

6. Schepenhuis

0.32 MILES

The Schepenhuis is a small castle fantasy dating back to 1288. It became the council parliament for the Burgundian Netherlands from 1473.

7. St-Romboutskathedraal

0.34 MILES

This soaring, Gothic-vaulted cathedral features a 1723 monumental pulpit, a 1630 Van Dyck crucifixion scene in the south transept, and dozens more fine…

8. Op-Sinjoorke Statue

0.36 MILES

Landing on his back with limbs akimbo, the giant yellow character that you see in the grassy contoured space north of St-Romboutskathedraal is Op…

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