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Post by whatagain on Oct 10, 2023 19:46:48 GMT
Mechelen is a city less than half an hour from Brussels.
It is a beautiful medieval city and used to be the ‘capital’ of the Netherlands (low lands) under some queen of Austria.
Nowadays it is a thriving city a bit outside tourist maps.
It has kept a fantastic atmosphere especially in Belgian summertime. Mid October 20c.
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Post by whatagain on Oct 10, 2023 19:48:31 GMT
Main square - grote markt in Flemish. There used to be a prison. There would be some flamboyant gothic there.  The cathedral dates from 14th century then burned and was repaired and enlarged.  It must have been the Eiffel Tower of the time. Still quite impressive.  Inside. I think we call this box a ‘châsse’ made of silver gold etc and usually containing a relic. Carried outside during processions.  Stained glass are just beautiful.  Inside the nave. People must have been quite tall back then.   Detail if the wood carvings above the seats of the bishops / cardinals whatever. All different. Splendid work.  |
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Post by whatagain on Oct 10, 2023 19:59:27 GMT
The wooden seat of the priests.  Close up of that nice building on grote markt.  Another church close by. People needed lots of churches then. Nowadays they are mostly empty but still impressive. this one looks to me more German like. Maybe because of the Austrians ?  Honestly it looks like it was a few centuries ago no ?  Old and new clash. I like glass buildings but… not that one and not so close to this beautiful palace.  From grate market I took the small door open on the left of the gothic palace.  That is the outside of the church that I find German like.  And this is the building the queen of Austria used to rule the Low Lands. Now a tribunal.  |
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Post by whatagain on Oct 10, 2023 20:06:21 GMT
Not only is grote markt beautiful but Mechelen has a second big square. With more trees and shorter in width but much longer. It gives a more cosy feel imo.  Typical Flemish houses of late middle age.  We are not far from the cathedral.  Very long place. Too bad I had not that much time for a drink.  |
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Post by kerouac2 on Oct 10, 2023 20:25:56 GMT
Those photos are really good.
I have always noticed that many modest Belgian cities and also the medium sized cities of French Flanders have really huge squares compared to a lot of other European cities. I suppose this means that they had really big markets, but maybe there is some other reason.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 10, 2023 22:57:11 GMT
This is spectacular, Whatagain! I really appreciate this look at a place I'd love to visit. The little I have seen of Belgium has made me a fan.
The building on the main square looks to have been built in three stages -- either that, or by committee.
The tower on the cathedral is indeed elegant and impressive. Re: the glass building next to it -- perhaps someone thought that because glass is transparent, the building would be sort of invisible?
I looked up "châsse" because I was curious, having a different English word in my head for that object.
châss nf (coffret pour reliques précieuses) shrine n
Cette châsse contient les reliques de Saint-Christophe.
This shrine contains the relics of Saint Christopher.
Interesting. I guess it is a shrine because it has its own spot in the church, but I would have called it a reliquary.
(& I see that the word exist in French as well: reliquaire)
The town seems quiet, although the café tables on the main square are well populated. Thanks for showing us this beautiful place.
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Post by bjd on Oct 11, 2023 5:53:15 GMT
It looks like a really nice place and, indeed, it is not very well known outside Belgium. I wonder if the tall belfries were because they were used as lookout points in a flat country. Anyone looking for invaders (or fires?) would have a long view.
And the "German-looking" church looks like some Jesuit churches I have seen elsewhere.
The silver box is called a reliquary in English, as Bixa said.
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Post by fumobici on Oct 11, 2023 17:07:22 GMT
Fabulous-looking place and beautiful photos. I'm a little ashamed that I've never even heard of this town. I really need to spend a little time exploring Belgium, I've only seen it in passing through train and airplane windows. The stained glass window is very impressive to me.
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Post by patricklondon on Oct 11, 2023 17:13:42 GMT
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Post by whatagain on Oct 12, 2023 9:44:52 GMT
Yes Patrick it is him.
Had never heard of him.
On the subject of reliquary we use the same word reliquaire for small boxes containing a relic. Like a bone or a finger.
And châsse for big ones usually containing the full saint.
The circonflexe on the a is important to differentiate from the word meaning hunting or the flush of the toilet. We don’t want to flush our same nuts away do we ?
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