Mechelen (English traditionally Mechlin, French Malines, German Mecheln) is a Municipality located in Belgium, Flemish Region, Province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the city of Mechelen proper and the villages of Heffen, Hombeek, Leest, Muizen and Walem. On January 1 2005 Mechelen had a total population of 77,480. The total area is 65.19 km² which gives a Population density of 1,188.57 inhabitants per km².
In the 14th 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 Mechel serves as 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 Netherlands in the first half of the 16th century under Margaret of Austria's reign.
During the 15th 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 people. 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. The area around Mechelen is famous for the culture of vegetables, among which 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.
| Antwerp | |
|---|---|
| Antwerp: | Aartselaar | Antwerp | Boechout | Boom | Borsbeek | Brasschaat | Brecht | Edegem | Essen | Hemiksem | Hove | Kalmthout | Kapellen | Kontich | Lint | Malle | Mortsel | Niel | Ranst | Rumst | Schelle | Schilde | Schoten | Stabroek | Wijnegem | Wommelgem | Wuustwezel | Zandhoven | Zoersel | Zwijndrecht | | |
| Mechelen: | Berlaar | Bonheiden | Bornem | Duffel | Heist-op-den-Berg | Lier | Mechelen | Nijlen | Putte | Puurs | Sint-Amands | Sint-Katelijne-Waver | Willebroek | |
| Turnhout''': | Arendonk | Baarle-Hertog | Balen | Beerse | Dessel | Geel | Grobbendonk | Herentals | Herenthout | Herselt | Hoogstraten | Hulshout | Kasterlee | Laakdal | Lille | Meerhout | Merksplas | Mol | Olen | Oud-Turnhout | Ravels | Retie | Rijkevorsel | Turnhout | Vorselaar | Vosselaar | Westerlo | | |