Mechelen (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): Mechelen’s new project lets visitors explore its 14th and 15th-century history through virtual reality, interactive exhibits and guided tours, making the past fun and accessible for everyone.
Mechelen has started a new project to take visitors back to the 14th and 15th centuries, showing what the city was like during the Burgundian Netherlands. Organized by the tourist office, this project uses virtual and augmented reality, interactive exhibits, and guided tours with actors in costumes to help visitors experience medieval Mechelen. People can explore virtual versions of streets and buildings, interact with displays that highlight important historical events, and follow special walking routes with information panels. It has been said that these activities aim to make the city’s rich history fun and easy to understand, giving a clear view of daily life when the Dukes of Burgundy ruled.
What new experiences can visitors expect in Mechelen’s history project?
Alderman for Tourism, Björn Siffer, said the goal is to help visitors experience what life was like in Mechelen during this important time. The project mixes modern technology with traditional storytelling and live reenactments to create a real and educational experience. It includes workshops, replica artifacts and special routes through the city’s most important historical sites. This project aims to celebrate Mechelen’s history and strengthen the link between the past and present. This fun approach not only improves the city’s tourism but also shows Mechelen’s importance as a cultural and political center during the Burgundian era.
The new activities are at St. Rumbold’s Tower in Grote Mark. Here, visitors can use augmented reality to see how people lived in Mechelen during the Burgundian period and look at pictures of the city’s famous towers and palaces. There’s a one-and-a-half-hour listening walk where local people, like beguines and architects, share their stories, which help us understand the city’s history. The project will also show how people used to gossip and make beer. The city wants to make its history easy for everyone to enjoy. Mayor Bart Somers says, “We want everyone to enjoy our history.” They have made Braille displays for ten buildings so blind people can feel them, and there are storytellers who tell stories in sign language for deaf visitors. People with disabilities can use a Google Maps guide to find easy paths in the city. Anyone who wants to join these new activities needs to sign up at the Mechelen tourist office.
