Short answers, pulled from the story.
Archaeologists discovered the oak canoe during excavations in the wetlands of Nekkerspoel. The artifact dates back to the La Tène era, proving human habitation in the triangle between Brussels, Leuven, and Antwerp.
Work on the cathedral dedicated to St Rumbold began around 1200. The building was consecrated in 1312 and appears on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Belfries of Belgium and France site.
The Nazi occupation forces selected Mechelen due to its extensive railway infrastructure. From this location, over 25,000 Jews and Roma were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp during the Second World War.
Since 1687, Mechlinians have been called Maneblussers or moon extinguishers. This nickname honors their heroic attempt to fight a fire high up in Saint-Rumbold's Tower when Gothic windows showed only the flaring of the moon between clouds.
One of the first railways on the European continent linked Brussels with Mechelen in 1835. A stone pillar called De Mijlpaal marked the destination point of that historic journey.