Aartsbisschoppelijk Paleis van Mechelen

The Archiepiscopal Palace of Mechelen has served as the official residence of the Archbishops of Mechelen-Brussels since the sixteenth century and remains one of the notable historic buildings in this Belgian city. It stands on Wollemarkt, in the historic city centre, a short walk from St. Rumbold's Cathedral.

How did the residence at Wollemarkt come about?

The story begins in 1596, when Archbishop Mathias Hovius acquired the so-called Hof van Lilloo together with the grounds of a former refuge of Affligem Abbey. The existing buildings on the site were adapted into an episcopal residence. That original acquisition set in motion a continuity of use that has lasted ever since — despite later rebuilding, the complex has never stopped functioning as the seat of the archbishops.

How did the present classicist building take shape?

The palace as it appears today was built between 1719 and 1741 on the initiative of Cardinal Thomas Philippe d'Alsace. An Italian architect was commissioned for the design, which explains the building's classicist character and its distinctive U-shaped floor plan wrapped around a central courtyard. The facades are marked by restrained detailing and a strong horizontal rhythm, typical of classicist architecture in the Southern Netherlands in the first half of the eighteenth century.

What happened to the palace during the French occupation?

The end of the eighteenth century brought disruption. After revolutionary French forces occupied the Southern Netherlands in 1789, the building lost its ecclesiastical function and was temporarily converted into a brewery, while its north wing and part of the east wing were demolished. It was not until 1818 that the Province of Antwerp purchased the property, restored it and expanded it for the benefit of the Archdiocese of Mechelen, returning the building to its original purpose.

What role does the palace play today?

Since its nineteenth-century restoration, the complex has consistently combined several functions: it houses the archbishop's residence, the administrative services of the archdiocese, ceremonial spaces, and supporting facilities such as a chapel, a caretaker's residence and a garage. On 2 May 1995 the building was listed as a protected monument, and the surrounding area was designated a protected urban landscape. In recent years the palace has undergone further stages of restoration, partly funded by the Flemish government.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors tour the Archiepiscopal Palace? As a working residence and seat of the church administration, the building is not a standard tourist attraction open daily — access to the interior is generally limited to occasional events.

Why does the palace have a U-shaped layout? The horseshoe-shaped plan around a central courtyard came from the design of the Italian architect engaged by Cardinal d'Alsace in the eighteenth century, a common arrangement for palatial residences of that era.

What happened to the building during the French occupation? Part of it was demolished and it briefly served as a brewery, before the Province of Antwerp bought and restored it in 1818, returning it to church use.