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Palace of Margaret of Austria: Detail, view of street entrance facade
Architecture Library, Hesburgh Libraries
The palace is currently the Law Court of Mechelen.
This palace and courtyard are noted as one of the first Renaissance buildings in the Netherlands. In 1515 Rombout Keldermans II succeeded his brother as Master of the Works of the 'town and tower' of Mechelen, where he worked on St Rombout's tower. In the following years he worked at the palace of Margaret of Austria, for which he designed the majestic staircase (1517-1518). However, the Renaissance work at this palace is certainly not to be attributed to Rombout II. It later was the residence of the Archbishop, housed the Great Council and is currently the Law Court. In 1876-1885 it was restored in an "improved" Neo-Renaissance style by Leonard Blomme.