Paleis Margaretha van Oostenrijk

Paleis van Margareta van Oostenrijk stands as a Renaissance architectural jewel in Mechelen, commissioned in the early 16th century as the residence of Margaret of Austria, daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. The northern section along Keizerstraat showcases some of the Low Countries' earliest Renaissance design, featuring an intricately detailed façade blending Gothic and Renaissance elements characteristic of the period. Serving as headquarters of the Great Council—a supreme court body—from 1616 to 1795, the palace now functions as the municipal courthouse while remaining open to the public. Surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens, this venerable structure invites visitors to explore its halls and exterior architecture, reflecting both Habsburg dynastic significance and Mechelen's status as a cultural and judicial centre during the Early Modern period.