Mechelen (, French
Malines, traditional English
Mechlin) is a city and
municipality in the province of
Antwerp,
Flanders, Belgium. The municipality comprises the city of Mechelen proper, some quarters at its outskirts, the hamlets of
Nekkerspoel (adjacent) and Battel (a few kilometers away), as well as the villages of Walem, Heffen, Leest, Hombeek, and Muizen. The
Dijle flows through the city, hence it is often referred to as the
Dijlestad ("City on the river Dijle").