Hoogbrug, Stone bridge in Mechelen, Belgium

Hoogbrug is a sandstone arch bridge over the Dijle in Mechelen, with four vaults measuring 6, 10, 7 and 5 metres. It links IJzerenleen with Guldenstraat. The bridge has a flat top, a low parapet and a small triangular buttress at the base of each pier; the spandrels are plain stone with a faint circular outline on the central span.

The bridge was built in the 13th century as part of Mechelen's defensive system protecting the city. Its battlements show that it served both as a crossing and as a fortification during medieval times.

Mechelen residents call the small 15th-century toll house beside the bridge on the Guldenstraat side "het Overschotje", the little leftover. The name refers to its modest size next to the bridge. The building recalls the tolls once collected at this crossing over the Dijle.

The bridge is easy to reach on foot in central Mechelen and connects two busy neighborhoods. You can cross it freely at any time and explore the river views and surrounding streets from both sides.

The final arch of the bridge leans at an angle, revealing where an ancient stream once ran through this area. This detail is easy to miss but tells the story of how water once flowed differently in medieval Mechelen.