Mechelen — Dijle River

About This Anchorage

Mechelen (Malines in French) is one of Belgium's most undervisited historic cities — for nearly 100 years (1506–1578) it was the capital of the Low Countries, the seat of Margaret of Austria and Mary of Hungary, and the ecclesiastical capital of the Catholic Netherlands. The Sint-Romboutskathedraal tower (97m, begun 1452) is visible for miles across the flat Flemish plain. Mechelen is the centre of Belgian bell-ringing (carillon) tradition — the Royal Carillon School is here, and the Sint-Rombouts carillon (49 bells) performs concerts on summer evenings. The Dijle river flows through the medieval heart of the city. The approach from Antwerp (via the Rupel river and Dijle) is through classic Belgian polderland. Mechelen is halfway between Antwerp and Brussels — an ideal stopping point on an inland waterway circuit. The city is also famous for its furniture-making tradition, the Plantin-Moretus printing heritage, and the Mechelen Toy Museum.

Hazards

• !Draught limit 1.5m on Dijle through Mechelen — shoaling in city section; approach on rising tide
• !Air draught: city bridges may be as low as 3.0m — check each bridge before entry; the Sint-Rombouts carillon bridge is the critical limiting dimension
• !Soft silt bottom — anchor holding is fair; use anchor buoy and check regularly
• !Rupel river approach from Antwerp: commercial barge traffic; CEVNI rules; give way to all commercial vessels
• !Visitor pontoon capacity: only 10–15 small boats; call ahead on VHF 10

Skipper's Tips

• →The Sint-Romboutskathedraal carillon summer concert (Thursday evenings, July–August) is a remarkable Mechelen experience — the 49-bell carillon fills the entire medieval city centre with music; hear it from the river pontoon
• →Mechelen is the perfect half-day stop between Antwerp and Brussels — the city can be explored by bicycle in 3–4 hours; rent bikes at the visitor pontoon
• →The Groot Begijnhof (Large Beguinage) 200m from the visitor pontoon is one of the best-preserved beguinages in Belgium — a UNESCO World Heritage site of 17th-century almshouses
• →Approach from Antwerp via the Rupel: the river junction at Rumst and the entry to the Dijle are well-marked but shallow — use ANWB Wateralmanak for current depth soundings
• →Mechelen's Friday market (Vrijdagmarkt) and the Veemarkt (cattle market square) are the social heart of the city — visit in the morning before exploring the cathedral

Nearby Anchorages