Schepenhuis, Gothic stone building in Mechelen, Belgium
The Schepenhuis is a pale grey limestone Gothic building between the Grote Markt and the IJzerenleen, with a steep slate roof, slender octagonal corner turrets with pointed caps and stepped gables along the roofline. Rows of rectangular windows with stone tracery pierce the facade, a small projecting bay sits partway up, and a black, yellow and red banner hangs high on the front. It was built for the aldermen's bench from 1288 and expanded in 1374-1375.
In 1288 Mechelen's aldermen, who had met outdoors, decided to build a stone meeting house; the building was expanded in 1374–1375. In 1473 Charles the Bold installed the Parlement of Mechelen there, abolished in 1477 by Mary of Burgundy and re-established by Philip the Handsome as the Great Council, which moved to Margaret of Austria's former palace in 1616.
The name Schepenhuis refers to the aldermen's bench that met here; the ground-floor archive room, formerly the Vierschaere, keeps an oak ceiling and twelve carved beam supports made in 1375-1378 by Herman Van Blankene and Jan van Lokeren. Since 9 September 2018 the building has housed the tourist office Visit and UiT in Mechelen.
The building sits centrally on the market square and is easily reached on foot, with plenty of space for exploring and viewing the architecture from different angles. The tourist office provides orientation help, and the nearest parking and bus stops are just a few minutes' walk away.
The building suffered damage during World War I, but restoration work between 1916 and 1938 brought back its original splendor. This renewal gave the monument new life and showcased the craftsmanship of Belgian restorers of that era.
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