Editing Mechelen (section)

==Folklore==
Most cities in Flanders have a mock name for their inhabitants. Since 1687, for their heroic attempt to fight the ''fire'' high up in the Saint-Rumbold's Tower, where the gothic windows had shown the flaring of only the moon between clouds, Mechlinians have been called ''Maneblussers'' (moon extinguishers).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moon Extinguishers |url=https://visit.mechelen.be/moon-extinguishers |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=Visit Mechelen |language=en}}</ref>

Once every 25 years, a [[parade]], the [[Ommegang]], commemorates both the arrival of Holy Roman Emperor [[Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor|Maximilian I]], father of [[Archduchess Margaret of Austria]], and also other major events of the city's past. The ''Ommegang'' had an extra edition in 2000 for the 500th anniversary of the birth of [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]]. This cortege shows the city's six 15th–17th-century [[processional giant]]s and other serious and humoresque puppets and carts, all typically made on a huge scale, and has been [[UNESCO]] [[Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity|Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity]] since 2005.

The city's 17th-century wooden mascot, which since 1775 has been called ''Opsinjoorke'' 'the doll', is pulled about on a sheet as part of the Ommegang. Nowadays, it is the replica that is so pulled around the city. A recent bronze statue depicting the ''Opsinjoorke'' stands in front of the Belfry.

The annual parade of carts decorated with flowers (comparable to that of [[Blankenberge]] for Mechlinian florists still prepare up to half of decorations), and with vegetables—all of which are local to the area—has been indefinitely canceled since the beginning of the 21st century due to lack of financing by the city.<ref>{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?ArticleID=G4AHB8FL ,,Bloemencorso moet terugkomen" ''Afgevoerde Mechelse bloementraditie leeft voort in Blankenberge''] journal Het Nieuwsblad, 26 August 2005</ref>
[[File:Hanswijkcavalcade 1386.JPG|thumb|210x210px|A statue of Our Lady of Hanswijk is carried through the city during the procession in 2013]]
In spring, a legendary holy statue of Our Lady is the main feature in the Procession of Hanswijk. 

Mechelen used to have its own newspaper called ''de Krijgstrompet'', which was the official newspaper of the army.