Archbishop Palace of Mechelen

About

The Archbishop's Palace of Mechelen is the residence of the Archbishops of Mechelen. It is located on the Wollemarkt in Mechelen, near the St.Rombouts Cathedral. The palace dates from the 18th century and has experienced numerous renovations. The style of the building is classicism, which shows itself in the following characteristics: Sober facade construction, a lot of horizontalism and a U-shaped ground plan. The palace has influences of Italian architecture. At the back there is a very large garden.

History: The Archbishop's palace was built between 1719-1741 by order of Cardinal Thomas Philippe d. "Alsace." The cardinal appointed an Italian architect for the design; The classicistic character and the U-shaped map are due to this. The site initially contained two patrician houses that served as refuge from the Abbey of Affligem until the abbey was added to the Archdiocese of Mechelen after 1559. The refuge, together with an adjacent house, was then given a new position as residence of the Archbishops of Mechel. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the archbishops also had a palace in Brussels. The present...