The building was previously a city palace of knight Hieronymus Lauweryn, the councilor and steward of Margaret of Austria from a well-known humanist family from Bruges. After problems with his health, Margaretha was assigned the house in the Korte Maagdenstraat, but it became too small. The renovation started in 1507.
A second building campaign took place from 1517 to 1530 under the leadership of Rombout II Keldermans with the change at Keizerstraat. Margaretha stayed in this palace until her death in 1530. Council members came to visit, such as William of Croÿ and Hendrik III of Nassau-Breda. In her library she kept the Aztec treasures sent by Hernán Cortés.[1]
In 1546 this building was damaged during the explosion of the Zandpoort. It remained city property until 1561, when it was given a new purpose as the residence of Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle, the first Archbishop of Mechelen and right-hand man of King Philip II.
In 1609, the building was purchased again by the city to house the Grand Council of Mechelen, which settled there in 1616. The Council remained seated there until it was abolished in 1795.
The complex was 'improved' in neo-Renaissance style in 1876-1885 under the direction of provincial architect Leonard Blomme.
Currently[(since) when?] the building serves as a courthouse. It houses the Antwerp police court, Mechelen department and the court of first instance, Antwerp Mechelen department. The justice of the peace of the canton of Mechelen, the labor court of Antwerp and the company court of Antwerp are located in a nearby building.
The Margareta van Austria Square on the other side was named after the governor in 2017.[2]
Source: Wikipedia