On 27 January 1687, the St Rumbold’s Tower was shrouded in mist. A tippler emerged from an inn on the Grand Place. He suddenly saw that the tower was on fire and immediately raised the alarm. Little had the citizens realized that the reddish misty glow they were trying to extinguish was the moon! The local authorities, led by the burgomaster lost no time in organizing the fire-fighting operation. Buckets of water went in a chain up the tower stairway, but even before they reached the top, the moon slipped through the haze and the glow disappeared. Of course, the people of Mechelen tried to keep the incident quiet, but the news was soon spread accros the borders. Since that day, the people of Mechelen have embraced the nickname “Moon Extingsuishers”.
In Mercure Mechelen Vé, a big artwork has been placed as allusion to this story. Do you know what it is?
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