The best city hikes and walks in Dijlevallei Tussen Mechelen En Rijmenam

Very nice market with a view of the Dilje.

Very well-preserved very old stone bridge in Mechelen.

About St. Lambert's Church… The tower of the old St. Lambert's Church in Muizen, 2005. © Focus-In Lint - beeldbankmechelen.be. At the time the treasure was hidden, a small wooden church must have already stood on the site of the current St. Lambert's Church. Its history possibly dates back to the seventh century. In the eleventh or twelfth century, a stone church was built in its place, modeled on the Palatine Chapel in Aachen and St. John's Church in Liège. Later, the people of Muizen replaced this church with a Gothic building. In 1255, Muizen officially became an independent parish with St. Lambert as its patron saint. During the religious unrest of the 1570s, St. Lambert's Church burned down. A new church was built in its place at the beginning of the seventeenth century. During the following centuries, the church underwent several expansions and modifications. A German V1 bomb destroyed St. Lambertus Church in November 1944. Only the tower was spared. You can still admire it today, next to the new St. Lambertus Church from the 1960s.

A place where young and old can connect. A fun corner in the Botanical Garden. Here, kids create a delicious experience.

Fountain Bridge to the fountain that was once located near the bridge. Gothic bridge built in 1371; originally consisting of three pointed arches and battlements, which were replaced by iron railings in 1728-1732. Extensively damaged in 1820, including the removal of the central arch. Source: Heritage Inventory

At the turn of the 13th to the 14th century, Mechelen was given a new, definitive city wall, which coincides with the current ring road. During this period, in 1304, the Prince-Bishop of Liège granted permission to build Mechelen's first watermill. It was built where the Dyle River intersected the new city walls and moats and grew into a watermill complex of seven mills by the 15th century. Only a few elements still recall the extensive mill complex of the past: centrally located on the quay walls is the wooden sluice house of the "large lock" that regulated the water level of the mills. To the left of this stands "het Molenhuis," a building in traditional brick and sandstone style that housed a fulling mill for a long time and was converted into a residence around 1915. The adjacent Mill House has been restored and transformed into a cozy ViaVia travel café. Source: https://www.mechelen.be/spuihuis-en-molenhuis

In the heart of Mechelen, the Botanical Garden has been a green oasis for centuries. Originally, in the Middle Ages, the site belonged to the Teutonic Order, which operated a Commandery and hospital there. In 1840, it became a botanical garden, first in the French style, later as an English landscape garden. Today, it is a beloved city park with ponds, a playground, an open-air stage, and the Dodoens Garden surrounding the statue of Mechelen botanist Rembert Dodoens. At the edge of the garden lies the historic mill house of the Volmolen (Fulling Mill), one of the last remnants of the mill complex on the Dijle River. The mill was used for fulling wool and regulating the water level. In 2010, after restoration, the building was given a new function as the charming Via Via Reiscafé (Via Via Travel Café). This part of Mechelen has thus become a harmonious place where nature, heritage, and relaxation converge.

nice cozy shopping street