Sint-Romboutskathedraal (St. Rumbold's Cathedral) was built in the 13th century. From the outset, it was larger and more impressive than all other parish churches, and later it also became “the church of the archbishops”. The first building on the site of the immense cathedral was a three-aisled cruciform church. Only after a series of renovations and extensions did the church become the eye-catcher of Mechelen, with its 97-metre-high tower as its highlight.

During the religious wars of the 16th century, the church suffered greatly. Much of the old interior was lost. The Calvinist regime at the end of that century removed everything that referred to Catholic worship. But the church weathered more storms. Mechelen was bombed during the Second World War and a major fire broke out in 1972. Time after time, St Rumbold's Cathedral survived.

In 1999, the tower of the cathedral was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Belfries of Belgium and France site, in recognition of its architecture and its importance in civic duties such as a watchtower.