European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 06, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A worker restores a tapestry at Thede wit workshop. Flemish town just right whatever your pleasure Yvan Maes Points out a detail on this tapestry the oldest one on the premises. By Rosemary Sawyer Brussels Bureau drive to Mechelene Belgium. Find the Market Square called Crote Markt. Pick an indoor or outdoor cafe. Order a cappuccino or belgian Beer. Crane your neck to enjoy the 14th to 16th-Century buildings. Write a postcard or two. Breathe deeply. Many of your friends who have left Europe for the United states would love to Trade places with you. Goldilocks too would enjoy the charms of the City located Halfway Between Brussels and Antwerp. Not too big not too Small Mechelene is just right for an afternoon or Daylong sojourn. And the flemish town is not As Distant As you d think just four hours drive from Frankfurt Germany two from Oesterberg Netherlands and one from Mons Belgium. Do Start at the Crote Markt whether you re anxious to see Mechelene s sights or simply sit and soak in its ambience. The tourism office is housed in the 14th Century town Hall building at Grote Markt 21. There for 20 belgian francs about 60 cent you can buy a map of the City that highlights the must sees and suggests walking Tours of various lengths. You la want to View the St. Rombout s Cathedral located directly across from the tourism office. Huge stained Glass windows Light the Sanctuary of the gothic edifice which in the Winter is open 9 . To non and 2 . To 4 . Every Day. However in wintertime its 321-foot-High Bell Tower can be toured Only with a private guide. While missing a Tower with a 514-step staircase might not be your idea of a loss Janine Van Hamme of the tourist office reports that on a Clear Day you can spy some of Brussels landmarks including the 1958 world s fair Model of an Iron molecule called the atomism. You also can see the Tower s two Carillon. The Carillon got its Start in the so called Low countries which include Belgium s Flanders province and the Netherlands. One of the St. Rombout s instruments dates Back to 1647. The Carillon 98 Bells Range in weight from 12 pounds to 9.7 tons for a total of 80 tons. Another Mechelene Art form can be enjoyed nearby at the de wit tapestry workshop. Visitors can tour the workshop saturdays at 10 30 . Group Tours also can be arranged by appointment. Guests can View antique and modern tapestries and about 20 artisans at work. The works from Mechelene Are better known by the City s French name As malines tapestries. Company president Yvan Maes said de wit is the Only workshop in Belgium that still weaves Wool and silk tapestries by hand. Maes said tapestries being peddled by souvenir shops Are not handmade despite what sales clerks May Tell you. Most Are printed he said. Only the Label is sewn on by hand. The certificate of authenticity probably costs More to make than the  de wit s least expensive tapestries Cost $10,000 to $15,000. The company also restores works from private collections and museums. For example the Century old de wit workshop recently restored a piece from the acts of the apostles series designed by Raphael and Woven by Pieter Van Aalst. The tapestry manufacturer is located in the 15th-Century Tongelo Abbey. So even if you can t take the tour it s Worth a stroll by just to peek into the courtyard. Another Beauty is the St. Trond Abbey located on the same Block. Except for a few buildings in Meche in Are to be enjoyed from the outside Only. One of the City s ugliest buildings will be the most Beautiful in your children s eyes. It s the Spee goed or toy museum. The museum which is located in an old storefront building differs from other toy museums that specialize in Only Antiques or one Type of toy such As dolls or trains. The Mechelene collection includes old and new toys of every variety from around the world. Hundreds of pounds of stuffed animals hang out near thousands of toy soldiers continued on p be 8 january 6, 1994 stripes Magazine