ST. ROMBOUT - MECHELEN, BELGIUM

ST. ROMBOUT'S CHURCH NAMED FOR ST. RUMBOLD, WHO WAS AN IRISH OR SCOTTISH CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY.  HIS REMAINS ARE SAID TO BE BURIED IN THE CHURCH.  THE CHURCH TOWER IS THE PRIDE AND JOY OF MECHELEN.   

THE FIRST STONE WAS LAID IN 1200.  WORK CONTINUED RATHER SLOWLY UNTIL 1462 WHEN THE TOWER FINALLY STARTED TO RISE.   THE BELLS WERE  MOVED TO THEIR NEW HOME IN 1492 AND ....IN MAY OF 1498.....FIRE STRUCK.  THE FIRE WAS SO INTENSE THAT MOST OF THE BELLS MELTED AS A RESULT OF THE HEAT.  THE TOWER WAS REBUILT BUT THERE WAS NEVER AGREEMENT ON WHETHER TO PUT A SLENDER SPIRE AT THE TOP.  THE ORIGINAL DESIGN WOULD HAVE PUT THE TOWER AT 167 METERS.    THEY NEVER DID PUT A SPIRE IN PLACE  THEREFORE THE TOWER HAS A RATHER ODD SHAPE AND STOPS AT 97 METERS.

97 METERS  HIGH WITH 514 STEPS TO THE TOP OBSERVATION DECK

A VIEW FROM THE TOWN SQUARE

ONE OF THE MOST ORNATE PULPITS I HAVE EVER SEEN

PULPIT CREATED BY MICHIEL VERVOORT IN 1723

THIS IS ST. NORBERT BEING FLUNG FROM HIS HORSE WHEREUPON HE HAS BEEN CONVERTED

THE TOMB OF CARDINAL DESIRE-JOSEPH MERCIER

MORE INTRICATE DETAILS IN EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY

THE TOMB OF ARCHBISHOP MATTHIAS HOVIUS 

HOLY RELICS OF ST. RUMBOLD

WORKERS KEEPING UP WITH WHAT IS PROBABLY CONSTANT REPAIRS

THE TOWER HAS 514 STEPS THAT TAKE YOU UP TO THE VERY TOP WHERE IN RECENT YEARS A MODERN SKY WALK WAS INSTALLED SO YOU COULD GET AN UNOBSTRUCTED VIEW OF THE MECHELEN LANDSCAPE.   AS I STARTED TO CLIMB THE TOWER THE BELLS BEGAN TO RING THEIR NOONTIME TUNES.   LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT THE NOONTIME BELLS GO FOR A FULL HOUR.  SO I WAS ENTERTAINED THE WHOLE WAY UP AND THE WHOLE WAY DOWN.  HERE ARE A COUPLE OF LINKS TO HEAR SNIPPETS OF THE BELLS.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQaDNuUaPSA


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeD-TTXpwuY

A WORN STEP ON THE WAY UP THE TOWER

ONE OF THE PULLEYS USED TO GET THE BELLS UP TO THE CORILLON

THIS GIVES YOU A LITTLE IDEA OF THE SCALE OF THIS PULLEY

I AM NOT SURE IF THESE ARE COUNTERWEIGHTS FOR THE OLD PULLEY SYSTEM OR IF IT IS FROM THE CLOCKWORKS

THE BELGIAN WAY OF PROTECTING THE FLOORING FROM THOSE HEAVY COUNTERWEIGHTS

PART OF THE PULLEY SYSTEM;  IT TOOK 9 MEN TO OPERATE THIS WHEEL.  IT FELL INTO DISREPAIR BUT WAS RECENTLY RESTORED BUT NOT OPERATIONAL

THIS PHOTO AND THE NEXT ONE IS OF THE AUTOMATED CLOCKWORKS.

A VIEW OF MECHELEN ROOFTOPS

THE SKYWALK ADDITION

OUR LADY OF THE DYLE CHURCH

TOWN HALL BUILDING