St. Rumbold’s Cathedral Mechelen

From the very beginning, St. Rumbold’s Cathedral, which is also a seat of the Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels, was always more imposing than the nearby parish churches. The cathedral’s interior is equally breathtaking, with paintings by Michel Coxcie and Gaspard de Crayer and a profoundly moving Christ on the Cross by Anthony van Dyck. 

When the people of Mechelen built St. Rumbold’s Church in the thirteenth century, they had lofty ambitions. The church towered over other parish churches from the outset. In 1312, it was dedicated to the Irish missionary Rumbold. Over the centuries, this cruciform church with a three-aisled nave developed into the imposing cathedral we know today. It officially became a cathedral when the Diocese of Mechelen was created in 1559. During the wars of religion, the English Fury at Mechelen of 1580 and the Calvinist rule between 1580 and 1585, the cathedral and its interior were severely damaged. The building was also ravaged by bombings during the First World War and the fire of 1972. Fortunately, St. Rumbold’s Cathedral was always restored to its former glory and the paintings of Michiel Coxcie and Gaspar de Crayer were preserved. Take the time to admire the high altar from 1665 by the Mechelen sculptor Lucas Faydherbe.

For his Christ on the Cross, Anthony van Dyck drew inspiration from his mentor, Peter Paul Rubens. In 1620, he had already painted a Coup de Lance for the Antwerp Friars Minor. Although the composition of both works is very similar, van Dyck’s personal touch is apparent, especially in the powerful rendering of Christ’s suffering. Initially, this key work in the Antwerp painter’s oeuvre was not on display in St. Rumbold’s Cathedral. Until the French Revolution, the painting adorned the high altar of the Franciscan church, which no longer exists. After the restitution and the return from the Louvre, William I, the ruler of the Kingdom of the United Netherlands, donated the painting to the cathedral in 1816. A rare and indispensable masterpiece, it was added to the list of Flemish Masterpieces.