Mechelen, also Malines, city, northern Belgium, in Antwerpen Province, on the Dyle River, near Brussels. It is a thriving textile center, but it no longer produces the lace that once made it famous. As the see of the Roman Catholic primate of Belgium, it retains ecclesiastical importance. The Cathedral of Saint Rombaut (13th century) contains works by the Flemish painter Sir Anthony Van Dyck, and the churches of Saint John and of Our Lady both contain works by the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens. Population (1998 estimate) 75,429.
