Leuven (, ) or Louvain (, , ; german: link=no, Löwen ) is the capital and largest
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
of the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant ( nl, Vlaams-Brabant ; french: Brabant flamand ) is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on (clockwise from the North) the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Haina ...
in the
Flemish Region
The Flemish Region ( nl, Vlaams Gewest, ),; german: Flämische Region usually simply referred to as Flanders ( nl, link=no, Vlaanderen ) ; german: link=no, Flandern is one of the three regions of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and t ...
of
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
. It is located about east of
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
. The municipality itself comprises the historic city and the
former neighbouring municipalities of
Heverlee
Heverlee () is a town in Belgium. It is a borough of the city of Leuven. Heverlee is bordered by Herent, Bertem, Oud Heverlee and several other municipalities that are part of Leuven (including Leuven proper and Kessel-Lo).
The town is the locati ...
,
Kessel-Lo
Kessel-Lo (population 26,000) is a town in Belgium. It is a borough of Leuven, situated to the east and north of Leuven proper. Kessel-Lo is bordered by Holsbeek, Lubbeek, and several other sub-municipalities that are part of Leuven (Leuven munic ...
, a part of
Korbeek-Lo
Korbeek-Lo is a large village located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, a short distance to the east of Leuven. The total area is 39.75 km² which gives a population density, using 2006 values, of 829 inhabitants per km².
As ...
,
Wilsele
Wilsele is a part of the city of Leuven, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium.
The Canal Leuven-Dijle which runs from Leuven to Mechelen
Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Me ...
and
Wijgmaal. It is the eighth largest city in Belgium, with more than 100,244 inhabitants.
KU Leuven
KU Leuven (or Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) is a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, Belgium. It conducts teaching, research, and services in computer science, engineering, natural sciences, theology, humanities, medicine, l ...
, Belgium's largest university, has its flagship campus in Leuven, which has been a university city since 1425. This makes it the oldest university city in the
Low Countries
The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...
. The city is home of the headquarters of
Anheuser-Busch InBev
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, commonly known as AB InBev, is an American-Belgian multinational drink and brewing company based in Leuven, Belgium. AB InBev has a global functional management office in New York City, and regional headquarters ...
, the world's largest beer brewer and sixth-largest fast-moving consumer goods company.
History
Middle Ages
The earliest mention of Leuven (''Loven'') dates from 891, when a Viking army was defeated by the
Frankish
Frankish may refer to:
* Franks, a Germanic tribe and their culture
** Frankish language or its modern descendants, Franconian languages
* Francia, a post-Roman state in France and Germany
* East Francia, the successor state to Francia in Germany ...
king
Arnulf of Carinthia
Arnulf of Carinthia ( 850 – 8 December 899) was the duke of Carinthia who overthrew his uncle Emperor Charles the Fat to become the Carolingian king of East Francia from 887, the disputed king of Italy from 894 and the disputed emperor from Feb ...
(see:
Battle of Leuven). According to a legend, the city's red and white arms depict the blood-stained shores of the river
Dyle after this battle, similarly to the
flag of Austria
The flag of Austria ( de-AT, Flagge Österreichs) is the flag of the nation of Austria. It consists of three bands of colour in the following order: red, white, and red.
The Austrian flag is considered one of the oldest national symbols stil ...
.
Situated beside this river, and near to the stronghold of the
Dukes of Brabant
The Duke of Brabant (, ) was the ruler of the Duchy of Brabant since 1183/1184. The title was created by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in favor of Henry I of the House of Reginar, son of Godfrey III of Leuven (who was duke of Low ...
, Leuven became the most important centre of trade in the
duchy
A duchy, also called a dukedom, is a Middle Ages, medieval country, territory, fiefdom, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess, a ruler hierarchically second to the king or Queen regnant, queen in Western European tradition.
There once exis ...
between the 11th and 14th centuries. A token of its former importance as a centre of cloth manufacture is shown in that ordinary linen cloth was known, in late-14th-century and 15th-century texts, as ''lewyn'' (other spellings: ''Leuwyn'', ''Levyne'', ''Lewan(e)'', ''Lovanium'', ''Louvain'').
Early modern period
In the 15th century, a new golden era began with the founding of the predecessor of what is now the largest and oldest university in the
Low Countries
The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...
, the
University of Leuven, in 1425.
Prestigious buildings like the
Town Hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
and the
Saint Peter's Church (itself designated a
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
in 1999) were constructed. The art of painting flourished with painters such as
Dirk Bouts
Dieric Bouts (born c. 1415 – 6 May 1475) was an Early Netherlandish painter. Bouts may have studied under Rogier van der Weyden, and his work was influenced by van der Weyden and Jan van Eyck. He worked in Leuven from 1457 (or possibly earlier) ...
,
Albrecht Bouts and
Jan Rombouts the Elder. The painter
Quinten Metsys
Quentin Matsys ( nl, Quinten Matsijs) (1466–1530) was a Flemish painter in the Early Netherlandish tradition. He was born in Leuven. There is a tradition alleging that he was trained as an ironsmith before becoming a painter. Matsys was activ ...
was born and trained in Leuven.
By the turn of the 16th century, Leuven had become a major European center for art and knowledge with humanists like
Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (; ; English: Erasmus of Rotterdam or Erasmus;''Erasmus'' was his baptismal name, given after St. Erasmus of Formiae. ''Desiderius'' was an adopted additional name, which he used from 1496. The ''Roterodamus'' wa ...
and
Hieronymus van Busleyden
Hieronymus van Busleyden (Dutch: Jeroen van Busleyden; French: Jérôme de Busleyden) (c.1470 – 27 August 1517) was a patron of learning and a humanist from the Habsburg Netherlands. His name is usually partially Latinized in English, and c ...
working there. In 1517 the latter founded the
Collegium Trilingue
The Collegium Trilingue, often also called Collegium trium linguarum, or, after its creator Collegium Buslidianum (French: Collège des Trois Langues, Dutch: Dry Tonghen), was founded in 1517 under the patronage of the humanist, Hieronymus van Bus ...
in which the three ancient languages:
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
,
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
and
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
were taught. It promoted the critical study of classical literature and the Bible.
Thomas More
Sir Thomas More (7 February 1478 – 6 July 1535), venerated in the Catholic Church as Saint Thomas More, was an English lawyer, judge, social philosopher, author, statesman, and noted Renaissance humanist. He also served Henry VIII as Lord ...
published his
''Utopia'' at
Dirk Martens
Dirk Martens ( la, Theodoricus Martinus) (1446 or 1447 – 28 May 1534) was a printer and editor in the County of Flanders. He published over fifty books by Erasmus and the very first edition of Thomas More's ''Utopia''. He was the first to print ...
printing house in Leuven in 1516.
Gemma Frisius
Gemma Frisius (; born Jemme Reinerszoon; December 9, 1508 – May 25, 1555) was a Frisian physician, mathematician, cartographer, philosopher, and instrument maker. He created important globes, improved the mathematical instruments of his d ...
laid the foundation for modern triangulation methods and cartography. He further made important contributions to mathematics, geography and astronomy.
Gerardus Mercator
Gerardus Mercator (; 5 March 1512 – 2 December 1594) was a 16th-century geographer, cosmographer and Cartography, cartographer from the County of Flanders. He is most renowned for creating the Mercator 1569 world map, 1569 world map based on ...
and
John Dee
John Dee (13 July 1527 – 1608 or 1609) was an English mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, teacher, occultist, and alchemist. He was the court astronomer for, and advisor to, Elizabeth I, and spent much of his time on alchemy, divinatio ...
were among his students. Leuven became a leading centre for the fabrication of precision astronomical instruments, such as the planetaria and the terrestrial and celestial globes built by
Gaspard van der Heyden
Gaspard van der Heyden (also known as Gaspar à Myrica) (c. 1496 – c. 1549) was a goldsmith, engraver, master printer and builder of precision astronomical instruments including terrestrial and celestial globes from Leuven, Belgium. He was well ...
and
Gualterus Arsenius Gualterus Arsenius (c. 1530 – c. 1580), also known as Gualterius Arsenius, Gautier Arsens, and Walter Arsenius, was a Flemish scientific instrument maker.
He was the nephew of the mathematician and cosmographer Gemma Frisius (1508–1555), an ...
.
Andreas Vesalius
Andreas Vesalius (Latinized from Andries van Wezel) () was a 16th-century anatomist, physician, and author of one of the most influential books on human anatomy, ''De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem'' (''On the fabric of the human body'' '' ...
completed his medicine studies in Leuven, before moving to Padova and Basel. Religious persecutions of Protestants, followed by greater religious and political turmoil starting in the late 1560s, greatly affected intellectual life in Leuven. Many professors and alumni from Leuven moved abroad. The newly founded
University of Leiden
Leiden University (abbreviated as ''LEI''; nl, Universiteit Leiden) is a public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. The university was founded as a Protestant university in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, as a reward to the city of Le ...
in Holland, amongst others, would profit greatly from this brain drain. Despite this the university continued to excel in disciplines like theology with
Johannes Molanus
Joannes Molanus (1533–1585), often cited simply as Molanus, is the Latinisation of names, Latinized name of Jan Vermeulen or Van der Meulen, an influential Counter Reformation Catholic theologian of Old University of Leuven, Louvain University, ...
and classical studies with
Justus Lipsius
Justus Lipsius (Joest Lips or Joost Lips; 18 October 1547 – 23 March 1606) was a Flemish Catholic philologist, philosopher, and humanist. Lipsius wrote a series of works designed to revive ancient Stoicism in a form that would be compatible w ...
.
18th and 19th centuries
In the 18th century, the brewery Den Horn (meaning "the horn") flourished. In 1708, Sebastien Artois became the master brewer at Den Horn, and gave his name to the brewery in 1717, now part of
AB InBev
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, commonly known as AB InBev, is an American-Belgian multinational drink and brewing company based in Leuven, Belgium. AB InBev has a global functional management office in New York City, and regional headquarters ...
, whose flagship beer,
Stella Artois
Stella Artois ( ) is a pilsner beer, first brewed in 1926 by Brouwerij Artois in Leuven, Belgium. In its original form, the beer is 5.2 per cent ABV, the country's standard for pilsners. The beer is also sold in other countries like the UK, Ire ...
, is brewed in Leuven and sold in many countries.
Leuven developed considerably during the 19th century. Dozens of squares were created, including the Sint-Jacobsplein, the Volksplaats (today's
Ladeuzeplein
The Mgr. Ladeuzeplein ("Mgr. Ladeuze Square") is the largest square in the centre of Leuven, Belgium. The square was named after a former rector of the Catholic University of Leuven, Mgr. Paulin Ladeuze. The central library of the KU Leuven is ...
) and the Statieplein (today's Martelarenplein). From 1835, the streets of the city were lit with gas. The Voer stream was vaulted, the channels occupying the middle of the streets were removed, a number of narrow streets were widened or simply destroyed and a considerable number of sewers were installed. The municipal theatre and the main post office were built, respectively in 1866 and between 1893 and 1895. It was also at this time that the central prison was built.
20th century
World War I
Leuven has several times been besieged or occupied by foreign armies; these include the
Battle of Leuven (891)
The Battle of Leuven, also called the Battle of the River Dyle, was fought in September 891 between East Francia and the Vikings. The existence of this battle is known through several different chronicles, including the ''Annales Fuldenses'' and t ...
, the
Siege of Leuven
The siege of Leuven (24 June – 4 July 1635) was an important siege in the Thirty Years' War in which a Franco-Dutch army under Frederick Henry of Orange and the French Marshals Urbain de Maillé-Brezé and Gaspard III de Coligny, who had invade ...
(1635) and the
Battle of Leuven (1831)
The Battle of Leuven was a battle of the Ten Days' Campaign during the Belgian Revolution. The battle took place on 12 August and officially ended on 13 August 1831. The Dutch army defeated the Belgian rebels, but were forced to withdraw in ord ...
. In the 20th century, both world wars inflicted major damage upon the city. Upon Germany's entry into
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the town was heavily damaged by rampaging soldiers. In all, about 300 civilians died.
The university library was
destroyed
Destroyed may refer to:
* ''Destroyed'' (Sloppy Seconds album), a 1989 album by Sloppy Seconds
* ''Destroyed'' (Moby album), a 2011 album by Moby
See also
* Destruction (disambiguation)
Destruction may refer to:
Concepts
* Destruktion, a ...
on 25 August 1914, using petrol and incendiary pastilles.
230,000 volumes were lost in the destruction, including Gothic and Renaissance manuscripts, a collection of 750 medieval manuscripts, and more than 1,000
incunabula
In the history of printing, an incunable or incunabulum (plural incunables or incunabula, respectively), is a book, pamphlet, or broadside that was printed in the earliest stages of printing in Europe, up to the year 1500. Incunabula were pro ...
(books printed before 1501).
The destruction of the library shocked the world, with the ''
Daily Chronicle
The 'Daily Chronicle' was a British newspaper that was published from 1872 to 1930 when it merged with the '' Daily News'' to become the ''News Chronicle''.
Foundation
The ''Daily Chronicle'' was developed by Edward Lloyd out of a local newspap ...
'' describing it as war not only against civilians but also against "posterity to the utmost generation." The burning of the city was done as a reprisal, which at the time was legal under international law, as the Germans alleged that Belgian civilians had taken part in the fighting and killed German troops.
The library was rebuilt after the war, and much of the collection was replaced. Great Britain (on the initiative of the
John Rylands Library
The John Rylands Research Institute and Library is a late-Victorian neo-Gothic building on Deansgate in Manchester, England. It is part of the University of Manchester. The library, which opened to the public in 1900, was founded by Enriquet ...
in Manchester) and the United States were major providers of material for the replenishment of the collection.
The new library building was financed by the National Committee of the United States for the Restoration of the University of Louvain and built to the design of architect
Whitney Warren
Whitney Warren (January 29, 1864 – January 24, 1943) was an American Beaux-Arts architect who founded, with Charles Delevan Wetmore, Warren and Wetmore in New York City, one of the most prolific and successful architectural practices in the ...
; it was officially opened on 4 July 1928. Richard Harding Davis, a war correspondent for the ''
New York Tribune
The ''New-York Tribune'' was an American newspaper founded in 1841 by editor Horace Greeley. It bore the moniker ''New-York Daily Tribune'' from 1842 to 1866 before returning to its original name. From the 1840s through the 1860s it was the domi ...
'', was in Leuven and wrote a column titled "The Germans Were Like Men After an Orgy" in which he described the organized civilian murders and vandalism committed by the occupying troops.
World War II
In World War II, after the start of the
German offensive, Leuven formed part of the
British Expeditionary Force's front line and was defended by units of the
3rd Division and Belgian troops. From 14 to 16 May 1940, the German
Army Group B
Army Group B (German: ') was the title of three German Army Groups that saw action during World War II.
Operational history
Army Group B first took part in the Battle of France in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands.
The second formation of ...
assaulted the city with heavy air and artillery support. The British withdrew their forces to the
River Senne
The Senne () or Zenne () is a small river that flows through Brussels, left tributary of the Dijle/Dyle.
Its source is in the village of Naast (Soignies), Naast near the municipality of Soignies. It is an indirect tributary of the Scheldt, ...
on the night of 16 May and the town was occupied the next day. The new university library building was set on fire by shelling, on 16 May, and nearly a million books were lost.
Climate
Economy
Given the presence of the
KU Leuven
KU Leuven (or Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) is a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, Belgium. It conducts teaching, research, and services in computer science, engineering, natural sciences, theology, humanities, medicine, l ...
, Europe's most innovative university according to Reuters, much of the local economy is concentrated on spin-offs from academic research. In addition, the Leuven-based research centre,
IMEC
Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (IMEC) is an international research & development organization, active in the fields of nanoelectronics and digital technologies, with headquarters in Belgium. Luc Van den hove has served as President an ...
, is a research centre in the field of nano-electronics and digital technologies. As a result, dozens of companies in high technological fields such as biotech, robotics, additive manufacturing and IT, are located near these research institutes on the Arenberg Science Park and
Haasrode Research-Park
The Haasrode Research-Park business and research park in Heverlee (Leuven, Belgium) with a total area of 136 hectares (336 acres), accommodates dozens of high-technology businesses, employing well over 5,000 people in total. International compan ...
. Quite a few international companies such as
Siemens
Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad.
The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...
,
Huawei
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. ( ; ) is a Chinese multinational technology corporation headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. It designs, develops, produces and sells telecommunications equipment, consumer electronics and various smar ...
,
Nitto Denko
is a Japanese company that produces tapes, vinyl, LCDs, insulation, and several other products. It was founded in Osaki, Tokyo in 1918 to produce electrical insulation and it survived World War II, despite the destruction of its central offices ...
, JSR Corporation or Commscope have important, often research oriented branches, in Leuven. The academic hospital
UZ Leuven
Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven or University Hospitals Leuven, often shortened to UZ Leuven, is an academic hospital in Leuven, Belgium, associated with the university KU Leuven. It consists of three campuses as of 2022; Gasthuisberg, Pellenberg a ...
, first in Europe regarding the number of clinical tests per capita and approval rates for clinical trials,
UZ Leuven
Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven or University Hospitals Leuven, often shortened to UZ Leuven, is an academic hospital in Leuven, Belgium, associated with the university KU Leuven. It consists of three campuses as of 2022; Gasthuisberg, Pellenberg a ...
is another advanced research institute. It is one of Europe's largest academic hospitals. As a result, large numbers of private service providers are active in the medical, financial and legal fields.
Because it is the capital of the province of
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant ( nl, Vlaams-Brabant ; french: Brabant flamand ) is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on (clockwise from the North) the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Haina ...
, many governmental institutions are located in Leuven, as well as the regional headquarters of transport corporations such as
De Lijn
Vlaamse Vervoersmaatschappij De Lijn (English: Flemish transport company ''De Lijn''), usually known as De Lijn (, "The Line"), is a company run by the Flemish government in Belgium to provide public transportation with about 2240 buses and 399 tr ...
. As one of Flanders Art-Cities, with a large range of cafés, restaurants, cultural institutions and shopping neighbourhoods, Leuven also attracts a growing number of tourists.
Leuven is the worldwide headquarters of
Anheuser-Busch InBev
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, commonly known as AB InBev, is an American-Belgian multinational drink and brewing company based in Leuven, Belgium. AB InBev has a global functional management office in New York City, and regional headquarters ...
, the largest beer company in the world and is considered one of the largest
fast-moving consumer goods
Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), also known as consumer packaged goods (CPG), are products that are sold quickly and at a relatively low cost. Examples include non-durable household goods such as packaged foods, beverages, toiletries, cand ...
(FMCG) companies in the world. InBev's
Stella Artois
Stella Artois ( ) is a pilsner beer, first brewed in 1926 by Brouwerij Artois in Leuven, Belgium. In its original form, the beer is 5.2 per cent ABV, the country's standard for pilsners. The beer is also sold in other countries like the UK, Ire ...
brewery and main offices dominate the entire north-eastern part of the town, between the railway station and the
canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow un ...
to
Mechelen
Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical contex ...
. Finally, Leuven is the ancestral home of the
KBC Group
KBC Group is a Belgian universal multi-channel bank-insurer, focusing on private clients and small and medium-sized enterprises in Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia. It was created in 1998 through the merger of Kredietbank ...
. KBC is one of the leading financial groups in Europe. It is a multi-channel bank-insurance group, with a geographic focus on Belgium and Central Europe, catering mainly to retail clients, SMEs and local midcaps. As one of the largest companies in Belgium and it has its insurance and auto lease HQ in Leuven.
Demographics
, the population of Leuven was 100,244. The
arrondissement of Leuven
The Leuven Arrondissement (; ) is one of two arrondissements in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. It lies east of the Brussels-Capital Region. The arrondissement has an area of and has (as of January 1, 2017) 502,602 inhabitants.
Municip ...
counted 494,189 in 2014.
The city itself is made up out of the centre of Leuven (30,313),
Kessel-Lo
Kessel-Lo (population 26,000) is a town in Belgium. It is a borough of Leuven, situated to the east and north of Leuven proper. Kessel-Lo is bordered by Holsbeek, Lubbeek, and several other sub-municipalities that are part of Leuven (Leuven munic ...
(29,147),
Heverlee
Heverlee () is a town in Belgium. It is a borough of the city of Leuven. Heverlee is bordered by Herent, Bertem, Oud Heverlee and several other municipalities that are part of Leuven (including Leuven proper and Kessel-Lo).
The town is the locati ...
(22,521),
Wilsele
Wilsele is a part of the city of Leuven, Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium.
The Canal Leuven-Dijle which runs from Leuven to Mechelen
Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Me ...
(9,786) and Wijgmaal (3,592).
Student population
Leuven has a large international student population, mainly concentrated around the city centre. The
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
KU Leuven (or Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) is a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, Belgium. It conducts teaching, research, and services in computer science, engineering, natural sciences, theology, humanities, medicine, l ...
(
KU Leuven
KU Leuven (or Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) is a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, Belgium. It conducts teaching, research, and services in computer science, engineering, natural sciences, theology, humanities, medicine, l ...
; University of Leuven) has two campuses in the city, with a total of more than 45,000 students as of January 2020. It is the oldest Catholic university still in existence in the world, and the largest university in Belgium. There are also a number of ''
hogescholen
A university of applied sciences (UAS), nowadays much less commonly called a polytechnic university or vocational university, is an institution of higher education and sometimes research that provides vocational education and grants academic de ...
'' (universities of applied sciences), such as the UC Leuven-Limburg (UCLL).
Transport
Within the city and its immediate surroundings, most distances can be covered on foot or with a bicycle. Several streets are off-limits to vehicle traffic and, within the city centre, road speed regulations prescribe as the maximum speed limit, making it a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly city. There are also a few car parking lots.
There are numerous buses, primarily operated by the public transport company
De Lijn
Vlaamse Vervoersmaatschappij De Lijn (English: Flemish transport company ''De Lijn''), usually known as De Lijn (, "The Line"), is a company run by the Flemish government in Belgium to provide public transportation with about 2240 buses and 399 tr ...
, that connect the city with the region while providing travel options within the city centre. The so-called Ringbus follows the
ring road
A ring road (also known as circular road, beltline, beltway, circumferential (high)way, loop, bypass or orbital) is a road or a series of connected roads encircling a town, city, or country. The most common purpose of a ring road is to assist i ...
of the city. Buses 616, 652 and 651 connect Leuven with
Brussels Airport
Brussels Airport, nl, Luchthaven Brussel, vls, Vliegpling Brussel, german: Flughafen Brüssel is an international airport northeast of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. In 2019, more than 26 million passengers arrived or departed at Bruss ...
.
Leuven railway station
Leuven railway station ( nl, Station Leuven, french: Gare de Louvain), officially Leuven, is the main railway station in Leuven, Flemish Brabant, Belgium. The station is operated by the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS/SNCB) and is loca ...
is located on the
NMBS
french: Société nationale des chemins de fer belgesgerman: Nationale Gesellschaft der Belgischen Eisenbahnen
, type = Statutory corporation
, industry = Rail Transport
, foundation = 1926
, founder = Government of ...
railway lines 35 (Leuven–
Aarschot
Aarschot () is a city and municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, Belgium. The municipality comprises the city of Aarschot proper and the towns of Gelrode, Langdorp and Rillaar. On January 1, 2019, Aarschot had a total popul ...
–
Hasselt
Hasselt (, , ; la, Hasseletum, Hasselatum) is a Belgian city and municipality, and capital and largest city of the province of Limburg in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is known for its former branding as "the city of taste", as well as its ...
), 36 (
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
–
Liège
Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège.
The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far from b ...
), 36N (
Schaerbeek
(French language, French and History of Dutch orthography, archaic Dutch, ) or (contemporary Dutch language, Dutch, ) is one of the List of municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, 19 municipalities of the Brussels, Brussels-Capital Re ...
–Leuven), 53 (
Schellebelle–Leuven), and 139 (Leuven–
Ottignies
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve (; wa, Ocgniye-Li Noû Lovén) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. On January 1, 2006, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve had a total population of 29,521. The total area ...
). In
Bierbeek
Bierbeek () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Bierbeek proper, Korbeek-Lo, Lovenjoel and Opvelp. On January 1, 2006, Bierbeek had a total population of 9,147. The total a ...
, south-east of Leuven, lies the beginning of
HSL 2
The HSL 2 (french: Ligne à Grande Vitesse (LGV) 2, nl, Hogesnelheidslijn 2, en, High-Speed Line 2) is a Belgian high-speed rail line between Leuven and Ans (near Liège) and is long, all of it on dedicated high-speed tracks, which began serv ...
, the high-speed railway towards Liège.
The
European route E40
European route E40 is the longest European route, more than long, connecting Calais in France via Belgium, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan, with Ridder in Kazakhstan near the border with R ...
passes Leuven in the south, the
European route E314
The European route E 314 is a road in Europe and a part of the United Nations International E-road network. Approximately long, it connects the Belgian university city of Leuven with Aachen, Charlemagne's capital during the early ninth c ...
connects Leuven with the city of
Aachen
Aachen ( ; ; Aachen dialect: ''Oche'' ; French and traditional English: Aix-la-Chapelle; or ''Aquisgranum''; nl, Aken ; Polish: Akwizgran) is, with around 249,000 inhabitants, the 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 28th- ...
.
Politics
Mayor
The governing coalition of Leuven consists of
SP.A
Vooruit (Dutch for Forward, ) is a Flemish social democratic political party in Belgium. The party was known as the Flemish Socialist Party (1978–2001: ''Socialistische Partij'', SP; 2001–2021: ''Socialistische Partij Anders'', SP.A) until 2 ...
(14 out of 47 seats),
Groen
Groen or de Groen is a surname of Dutch origin, meaning ''green''. (10 seats) and
CD&V
Christian Democratic and Flemish (, , CD&V) is a Flemish Christian-democratic political party in Belgium. The party has historical ties to both trade unionism ( ACV) and trade associations (UNIZO) and the Farmer's League. Until 2001, the party wa ...
(8 seats), with SP.A providing the mayor with Mohamed Ridouani. The opposition is composed of
N-VA
The New Flemish Alliance ( nl, Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie, N-VA) is a Flemish nationalist and conservative political party in Belgium. The party was founded in 2001 by the right-leaning fraction of the centrist-nationalist People's Union (VU).
T ...
(11 seats),
open VLD
french: Libéraux et démocrates flamands ouverts
, abbreviation = Open Vld
, logo =
, leader1_title = President
, leader1_name = Egbert Lachaert
, foundation = 1992 (VLD)2007 (Open Vld)
, predecessor = Pa ...
(2 seats),
PVDA (1 seat) and
Vlaams Belang
, ideology =
, predecessor = Vlaams Blok
, position =
, europarl = Identity and Democracy
, european = Identity and Democracy Party
, youth_wing = Vlaams Belang Jongeren
, colours =
, ...
(1 seat).
Culture
One of Belgium's conservatories is based in Leuven: the
Lemmens Institute, which is described as "Faculty of Music, Performing Arts and Education". It is known for its music therapy education and its wordart-drama education. Kunstencentrum STUK is a cultural centre and venue in the city center for music, theatre,
sound art
Sound art is an artistic activity in which sound is utilized as a primary medium or material. Like many genres of contemporary art, sound art may be interdisciplinary in nature, or be used in hybrid forms. According to Brandon LaBelle, sound art ...
, and dance. Leuven holds a summer rock festival,
Marktrock
Marktrock is a music festival held each year around 15 August, in the heart of the university town of Leuven, Belgium. There is also a smaller Marktrock festival in Poperinge, which is held on the last Saturday of August.
The name Marktrock comes ...
. Leuven has some university orchestras, such as the (USO), the (UGO). and the .
In September 2009, the
M – Museum Leuven
M – Museum Leuven or simply M is an art museum in the inner city of Leuven, Belgium, which was officially opened in 2009. The museum has a collection of some 46,000 works, which range from late-Gothic paintings and sculptures to 16th century loc ...
opened in Leuven. It is a museum for both contemporary and historical art, located near het Ladeuzeplein. It has hosted exhibitions by international artists such as Angus Fairhurst, Sol LeWitt, Roe Ethridge and Charles Burns as well as Belgian artists such as Ilse D'Hollander, Jan Vercruysse, Antoon Van Dyck and Freek Wambacq.
Leuven has a rich beer culture, being the birthplace of several beers such as
Stella Artois
Stella Artois ( ) is a pilsner beer, first brewed in 1926 by Brouwerij Artois in Leuven, Belgium. In its original form, the beer is 5.2 per cent ABV, the country's standard for pilsners. The beer is also sold in other countries like the UK, Ire ...
,
Leuvense Tripel,
Domus
In Ancient Rome, the ''domus'' (plural ''domūs'', genitive ''domūs'' or ''domī'') was the type of town house occupied by the upper classes and some wealthy freedmen during the Republican and Imperial eras. It was found in almost all the ma ...
and Keizersberg. It has several bars priding themselves in offering a wide variety of local and international beers, including a bar that claims to offer more than 3000 different beers.
The
Higher Institute of Philosophy
The Institut supérieur de Philosophie (ISP) (French for: Higher Institute of Philosophy) is an independent research institute at the University of Louvain (UCLouvain) in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. It is a separate entity to the UCLouvain School o ...
holds the archives of the German philosopher
Edmund Husserl
, thesis1_title = Beiträge zur Variationsrechnung (Contributions to the Calculus of Variations)
, thesis1_url = https://fedora.phaidra.univie.ac.at/fedora/get/o:58535/bdef:Book/view
, thesis1_year = 1883
, thesis2_title ...
.
Sport
Leuven was voted European City of Sport for 2021, highlighted by hosting the
UCI Road World Championships
The UCI Road World Championships are the annual world championships for bicycle road racing organized by the (UCI). The UCI Road World Championships consist of events for road race and individual time trial, and a mixed team relay.
Events
...
, which will follow several routes of the
Grote Prijs Jef Scherens
Grote Prijs Jef Scherens is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in September in Leuven, Belgium. Since 2005, the race is organized as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. The race is named after the seven-time professional sprint world c ...
, a yearly cycling race in and around Leuven. The city also hosts the start of the
Brabantse Pijl
The Brabantse Pijl ( en, Brabant Arrow, french: italic=yes, Flèche Brabançonne or ''Flèche Branconne'') is a Flanders Classics road bicycle race held annually in Flemish Brabant and in Walloon Brabant, Belgium. Since 2005, the race has been or ...
, a
semi-classic race and the
Cyclocross Leuven
The Cyclocross Leuven is a cyclo-cross race held in Leuven, Belgium. It was first held on 30 December 2011 as a part of the Fidea Classics, replacing the Cyclocross Tervuren. Since the 2012–2013 season, it is part of the SOUDAL Classics. The ...
is a
cyclo-cross race held each year in January.
The main
football club
A football team is a group of players selected to play together in the various team sports known as football. Such teams could be selected to play in a match against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an all- ...
of the municipality is
Oud-Heverlee Leuven
Oud-Heverlee Leuven (), also called OH Leuven or OHL, is a Belgian football club from the city of Leuven. It was created in 2002 from the merger of three clubs, '' F.C. Zwarte Duivels Oud-Heverlee'', whose registration number it inherited, '' ...
, successor of prior clubs
Daring Club Leuven
Daring Club Leuven, was a Belgian football club from the city of Leuven, Flemish Brabant that existed between 1922 and 2002, when it merged with Stade Leuven and F.C. Zwarte Duivels Oud-Heverlee to form Oud-Heverlee Leuven. The club played it ...
and
Stade Leuven. Both the men's team and
OH Leuven women play at the highest level. The city's prime basketball team is the
Leuven Bears
Leuven Bears, for sponsorship reasons also called Stella Artois Leuven Bears, is a Belgian professional basketball club from Leuven. The club competes in the BNXT League, the highest tier in Belgian basketball.
History
The team has played in the ...
, they play their home games at the SportOase. Other known top-tier teams include
IHC Leuven
IHC Leuven (''French: IHC Louvain''), is an ice hockey team in Leuven, Belgium. Leuven plays in the BeNe League (a.k.a. Belgian Elite League), where it competes as the Leuven Chiefs. The team are the current Belgian national ice hockey champions, ...
(ice hockey),
KHC Leuven
Koninklijke Hockey Club Leuven, commonly known as KHC Leuven or simply Leuven, is a Belgian field hockey club based in Heverlee in Leuven, Flemish Brabant.
Honours Men
Belgian Hockey League
* Winners (1): 2007–08
EuroHockey Cup Winners' Trophy
* ...
(field hockey) and VC Haasrode-Leuven (volleyball). Daring Club Leuven Atletiek is one of the oldest athletics clubs in Belgium, where
1964 Olympic gold medallist Gaston Roelants
Gaston, Baron Roelants (born 5 February 1937), is a Belgian former elite steeplechaser and cross country runner. He won the 1962 European and 1964 Olympic titles in the 3000 m steeplechase and twice broke the world record.
Biography
Roelants ...
was a member.
Buildings and landmarks
Secular
* The
Town Hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
, built between 1439 and 1463 by ,
Jan II Keldermans, and following their death,
Matheus de Layens
Matheus de Layens (d. Leuven, 3 December 1483) was a Brabantine architect from the 15th century.
He was employed in Leuven from 1433, first under the architect Sulpitius van Vorst (d. 1439), and afterwards under Jan Keldermans II, whom he succ ...
, in a
Brabantian
Brabantian or Brabantish, also Brabantic or Brabantine ( nl, Brabants, Standard Dutch pronunciation: , ), is a dialect group of the Dutch language. It is named after the historical Duchy of Brabant, which corresponded mainly to the Dutch provi ...
late-
Gothic
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
style. In the 19th century, 236 statues were added to the exterior, each representing a prominent local scholar, artist or noble from the city's history. The reception hall dates from 1750.
*
Arenberg Castle
Arenberg Castle ( nl, Kasteel van Arenberg, french: Château d'Arenberg) is a château in Heverlee close to Leuven in Belgium. It is surrounded by a park.
History
The site had been the castle of the lords of Heverlee since the 12th century ...
was originally built in 16th century in the
Renaissance style
Renaissance architecture is the European architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 16th centuries in different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of Ancient Greece, ancient Greek and ...
and was extensively renovated in the
Neogothic style in the 19th century. The duke of Arenberg donated the domain to the
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
KU Leuven (or Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) is a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, Belgium. It conducts teaching, research, and services in computer science, engineering, natural sciences, theology, humanities, medicine, l ...
in 1916. It is open to the public. It has a beautiful green park outside with gardens. Eggs of wild ducks can be seen around the park.
* The Linen-hall, in an early-Gothic style, with baroque addition, is today the University Hall.
* The University Library on the
Ladeuzeplein
The Mgr. Ladeuzeplein ("Mgr. Ladeuze Square") is the largest square in the centre of Leuven, Belgium. The square was named after a former rector of the Catholic University of Leuven, Mgr. Paulin Ladeuze. The central library of the KU Leuven is ...
was built by the American architect
Whitney Warren
Whitney Warren (January 29, 1864 – January 24, 1943) was an American Beaux-Arts architect who founded, with Charles Delevan Wetmore, Warren and Wetmore in New York City, one of the most prolific and successful architectural practices in the ...
. It was a gift from the American people to Leuven after
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, during which the Germans burned down the original library. The tower houses one of the largest carillons in the world.
* The ''
Oude Markt
The Oude Markt (Dutch for "Old Market") is a rectangular square in the centre of Leuven, Flemish Brabant, Belgium, that largely consists of catering establishments. This is why it is nicknamed the "longest bar in the world".
History and buil ...
'' or ''Old Market'' square located in the centre of Leuven features a vibrant social scene, the centre of which displays a life-size statue of 'De Kotmadam', or "The Landlady" resting on a bench.
*
Sint-Donatus Park contains remains of the medieval city wall.
* ''Totem'' is a statue at the centre of the Ladeuzeplein; it is a work of the Belgian artist
Jan Fabre
Jan Fabre (born 14 December 1958) is a Belgian multidisciplinary artist, playwright, stage director, choreographer and designer.
Conviction for sexual assault and harassment
In September 2018, twenty former members of Fabre's performing ar ...
. Featuring a 23-metre-high needle impaling a giant jewelled beetle, the statue towers over the square in front of the university library.
* ''Fonske'' is a statue near the centre of town. Its full name is ''Fons Sapientiae'', Latin for "fountain of wisdom". The statue represents a university student who, while reading a book, lets wisdom flow into his head as liquid from a glass. Just like
Manneken Pis
''Manneken Pis'' (; ) is a landmark bronze fountain sculpture in central Brussels, Belgium, depicting a puer mingens; a naked little boy urinating into the fountain's basin. Though its existence is attested as early as the 15th century, it wa ...
in Brussels, ''Fonske'' is, from time to time, dressed in costumes appropriate for specific occasions.
Religious
*
St. Peter's Church (1425–1500) was finished by
Jan Keldermans and
Matheus de Layens
Matheus de Layens (d. Leuven, 3 December 1483) was a Brabantine architect from the 15th century.
He was employed in Leuven from 1433, first under the architect Sulpitius van Vorst (d. 1439), and afterwards under Jan Keldermans II, whom he succ ...
. During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the church was damaged. During the restoration, a
Romanesque crypt
A crypt (from Latin ''crypta'' "vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, sarcophagi, or religious relics.
Originally, crypts were typically found below the main apse of a chur ...
from the 11th century was found. In the church itself, there are several paintings from the 15th to 18th centuries (among which,
Dirk Bouts
Dieric Bouts (born c. 1415 – 6 May 1475) was an Early Netherlandish painter. Bouts may have studied under Rogier van der Weyden, and his work was influenced by van der Weyden and Jan van Eyck. He worked in Leuven from 1457 (or possibly earlier) ...
' famous painting of
the last supper
Image:The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci - High Resolution 32x16.jpg, 400px, alt=''The Last Supper'' by Leonardo da Vinci - Clickable Image, Depictions of the Last Supper in Christian art have been undertaken by artistic masters for centuries, ...
) and the grave of
Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
Henry I of Brabant
Henry I ( nl, Hendrik, french: Henri; c. 1165 – 5 September 1235), named "The Courageous", was a member of the House of Reginar and first duke of Brabant from 1183/84 until his death.
Early life
Henry was possibly born in Leuven (Louvain) ...
. The 50-metre-high tower – which was meant to be 169 metres high, but was never completed – is home to a
carillon
A carillon ( , ) is a pitched percussion instrument that is played with a keyboard and consists of at least 23 cast-bronze bells. The bells are hung in fixed suspension and tuned in chromatic order so that they can be sounded harmoniou ...
. The tower was included in
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
's list of
Belfries of Belgium and France
The Belfries of Belgium and France are a group of 56 historical buildings designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, in recognition of the civic (rather than church) belfries serving as an architectural manifestation of emerging civic indep ...
in 1999.
* Saint-Anthony's Chapel, Pater Damiaanplein, from the 17th to the 20th centuries, contains the tomb of
Father Damien
Father Damien or Saint Damien of Molokai, SS.CC. or Saint Damien De Veuster ( nl, Pater Damiaan or '; 3 January 1840 – 15 April 1889), born Jozef De Veuster, was a Roman Catholic priest from Belgium and member of the Congregation of the Sacr ...
, the "leper priest" of
Molokai
Molokai , or Molokai (), is the fifth most populated of the eight major islands that make up the Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian Islands archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is 38 by 10 miles (61 by 16 km) at its greatest length an ...
, who was
canonised
Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon catalogue of ...
by
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...
on Sunday 11 October 2009.
The ''
Catholic Encyclopedia
The ''Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church'' (also referred to as the ''Old Catholic Encyclopedia'' and the ''Original Catholic Encyclopedia'') i ...
'' calls him "the Apostle of the Lepers",
and elsewhere, he is known as the "leper priest". The
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
priest's remains were returned in Belgium with great fanfare in 1936, after having been originally buried on the Hawaiian Island of
Molokai
Molokai , or Molokai (), is the fifth most populated of the eight major islands that make up the Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian Islands archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is 38 by 10 miles (61 by 16 km) at its greatest length an ...
where he had served the outcast lepers until his death.
* The Church of Saint Michael was built in the typical
Jesuit
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
Style.
* The
Saint Quentin's Church
The Saint Quentin's Church or Sint-Kwintenskerk (in Dutch (language), Dutch) is a Roman Catholic church located at the Naamsestraat in Leuven, Belgium. Its exterior is mainly Gothic architecture, Gothic with a Baroque entrance portal. The interior ...
incorporates remains of a Romanesque church built in the 13th century.
* The Large
Beguinage
A beguinage, from the French term ''béguinage'', is an architectural complex which was created to house beguines: lay religious women who lived in community without taking vows or retiring from the world.
Originally the beguine institution was ...
is one of the world's best remaining examples of its architectural type. It was recognised by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
as a
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
in 1998.
*
Park Abbey
Park Abbey ( nl, Abdij van Park; also Parc Abbey) is a Premonstratensian abbey in Belgium, at Heverlee just south of Leuven, in Flemish Brabant.
The '' Annales Parchenses'' were written here in the 12th century.
History
The abbey was founded in ...
, a 42ha
Premonstratensian
The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré (), also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines and, in Britain and Ireland, as the White Canons (from the colour of their habit), is a religious order of canons regular of the Catholic Church ...
Abbey founded in 1129 and manufacturing site of the
Parc Abbey Bible. It is one of the best preserved abbey complexes in the Low Countries and is still inhabited by a small community of
Canons regular
Canons regular are priests who live in community under a rule ( and canon in greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religious life, such as clerics regular, designated by a ...
.
*
Keizersberg Abbey
Keizersberg Abbey, also known as Mont César Abbey ( nl, Abdij van Keizersberg; french: Abbaye du Mont-César) is a Benedictine monastery on the hill ''Keizersberg'' or ''Mont César'' in the north of the university town of Leuven, Belgium.
Hi ...
, an active Neo-Romanesque Benedictine Abbey founded in 1888. It is situated on the Keizersberg ("Emperor's Mountain") which used to be the location of a 12th-century ducal castle until it was demolished in 1782.
*
Vlierbeek Abbey
Vlierbeek Abbey ( nl, Abdij van Vlierbeek) is a former Benedictine abbey to the north-east of Leuven in Belgium, in the sub-district Kessel-Lo.
History
On the abbey site in 1127 a priory was founded by Affligem Abbey, to whom Godfrey I of Lou ...
, a former
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
abbey founded in 1127.
*
Sint-Geertrui Abdij, a former
Augustinian Augustinian may refer to:
*Augustinians, members of religious orders following the Rule of St Augustine
*Augustinianism, the teachings of Augustine of Hippo and his intellectual heirs
*Someone who follows Augustine of Hippo
* Canons Regular of Sain ...
abbey founded in 1206.
* Lerkeveld is a Jesuit house, student residence, and headquarters of the
Society of Jesus
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
in Belgium.
* The Al Fath mosque was built in 2016 and is used as a mosque where people can pray.
* Al Ihsaan is a government-funded mosque that was found in 1976 and that is still actively used as a place for people to pray. Al Ihsaan also offers Arabic lessons.
* There are several other smaller churches and chapels throughout the town.
Colleges
The
Old University of Leuven
The Old University of Leuven (or of Louvain) is the name historians give to the university, or ''studium generale'', founded in Leuven, Brabant (then part of the Burgundian Netherlands, now part of Belgium), in 1425. The university was closed in ...
used to have
40 constituent colleges and 4 pedagogies, some of which are still being used by KU Leuven. The most notable ones are:
*
Holy Ghost College, founded in 1442, currently a residence for theology students and priests at KU Leuven.
*
Collegium Trilingue
The Collegium Trilingue, often also called Collegium trium linguarum, or, after its creator Collegium Buslidianum (French: Collège des Trois Langues, Dutch: Dry Tonghen), was founded in 1517 under the patronage of the humanist, Hieronymus van Bus ...
, which promoted the teaching of Hebrew, Greek and Latin. It was founded in 1517 by the humanist
Hieronymus Busleyden under impulse of
Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (; ; English: Erasmus of Rotterdam or Erasmus;''Erasmus'' was his baptismal name, given after St. Erasmus of Formiae. ''Desiderius'' was an adopted additional name, which he used from 1496. The ''Roterodamus'' wa ...
and served as a model for France's
Collège de France
The Collège de France (), formerly known as the ''Collège Royal'' or as the ''Collège impérial'' founded in 1530 by François I, is a higher education and research establishment (''grand établissement'') in France. It is located in Paris ne ...
.
*
Pope's College, a college for theology students of the
Old University of Leuven
The Old University of Leuven (or of Louvain) is the name historians give to the university, or ''studium generale'', founded in Leuven, Brabant (then part of the Burgundian Netherlands, now part of Belgium), in 1425. The university was closed in ...
founded by
Pope Adrian VI
Pope Adrian VI ( la, Hadrianus VI; it, Adriano VI; nl, Adrianus/Adriaan VI), born Adriaan Florensz Boeyens (2 March 1459 – 14 September 1523), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 January 1522 until his d ...
in 1523.
*
St Anthony's College, founded in 1607, was located on the Pater Damiaanplein and has been a centre of Irish learning on the European Continent since the early 17th century.
The Leuven Institute for Ireland in Europe is now located on the premises.
Gallery
File:View of the Great Market in Leuven, by Wolfgang de Smet, 1650-1700 - Museum M - Leuven, Belgium - DSC05617.JPG, View of the Oude Markt
The Oude Markt (Dutch for "Old Market") is a rectangular square in the centre of Leuven, Flemish Brabant, Belgium, that largely consists of catering establishments. This is why it is nicknamed the "longest bar in the world".
History and buil ...
, by Wolfgang de Smet, c. 1650-1700
File:Michael Neher - Marktplatz in Löwen (1854).jpg, View of the Grote Markt, by Michael Neher
Michael Neher (1798 at Munich – 1876 in Munich), the son of Joseph Neher, a citizen and painter of that city, but of a family from Biberach. Michael received a classical education, and was instructed in the rudiments of painting by Mitterer, a ...
, 1854
File:Leuven City Hall, looking up from base at night.jpg, Town hall
File:Leuven, Oude Markt foto4 2007-08-27 12.26.JPG, View of the Brusselsestraat from De Grote Markt
File:2011-09-24 17.42 Leuven, universiteitsbibliotheek ceg74154 foto4.jpg, The University Library
File:FonskeLeuven.jpg, ''Fonske''
File:JacquemartCollegialeSaintPierreLouvain.JPG, Jacquemart at the Collegiate church In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons: a non-monastic or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a ...
in Leuven
File:Castle Arenberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven adj.jpg, Castle Arenberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
File:Leuven station Martelarenplein.jpg, Leuven train station
File:Leuven-Groot-Begijnhof.jpg, Groot-Begijnhof
File:Leuven-Adrian-VI-College.jpg, Adrian-VI College
File:Martelarenplein Leuven 2008.jpg, Martelarenplein
File:Leuven Fochplein A.jpg, Rector De Somerplein
File:Oude Markt Leuven.jpg, Oude Markt
St. Peter's Church, Leuven (DSCF0898).jpg, St. Peter's church
Notable people from Leuven
Born in Leuven
*Most
Dukes of Brabant
The Duke of Brabant (, ) was the ruler of the Duchy of Brabant since 1183/1184. The title was created by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in favor of Henry I of the House of Reginar, son of Godfrey III of Leuven (who was duke of Low ...
in the 12th and 13th centuries
*
Maria of Brabant,
queen consort of
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
(1256–1321)
*
Louis Elsevier, book publisher (1540–1617)
*
Quentin Matsys
Quentin Matsys ( nl, Quinten Matsijs) (1466–1530) was a Flemish painter in the Early Netherlandish tradition. He was born in Leuven. There is a tradition alleging that he was trained as an ironsmith before becoming a painter. Matsys was active ...
, painter (1466–1530)
*
Petrus Phalesius the Elder
Peeter van der Phaliesen, Latinised as Petrus Phalesius, French versions of name Pierre Phalèse and Pierre de PhaleysSusan Bain and Henri Vanhulst, "Phalèse Family", ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', second edition, edited by ...
, publisher (c. 1501/05 – c. 1573/74)
*
Petrus van der Aa,
jurist
A jurist is a person with expert knowledge of law; someone who analyses and comments on law. This person is usually a specialist legal scholar, mostly (but not always) with a formal qualification in law and often a legal practitioner. In the Uni ...
(1530–1594)
*
Valerio Profondavalle
Valerio Profondavalle, or Valerio Diependale, (1533 – c. 1600) was a Flemish historical painter of the Renaissance period, born in Leuven, but active in Italy. He lived for some time at Florence, and afterwards settled at Milan
Milan ( , ...
, painter (b. 1533)
*
Adriaan van Roomen
Adriaan van Roomen (29 September 1561 – 4 May 1615), also known as Adrianus Romanus, was a mathematician, professor of medicine and medical astronomer from the Duchy of Brabant in the Habsburg Netherlands who was active throughout Central Europ ...
, mathematician (1561–1615)
*
Charles de Bériot, violinist (1802–1870)
*
Eugène Prévinaire
Eugène Marie Ignace Prévinaire (18 October 1805 – 2 June 1877) was a Belgian businessman, liberal politician, civil servant, and from 1870 to 1877, governor of the National Bank of Belgium (NBB).
Born in Leuven on 18 October 1805, Prév ...
, second governor of the
National Bank of Belgium
The National Bank of Belgium (NBB; nl, Nationale Bank van België, french: Banque nationale de Belgique, german: Belgische Nationalbank) has been the central bank of Belgium since 1850. The National Bank of Belgium was established with 100% pr ...
(1805–1877)
*
Laurent-Guillaume de Koninck
Laurent-Guillaume de Koninck (3 May 1809 – 16 July 1887) was a Belgian palaeontologist and chemist, born at Leuven.
He studied medicine in the university of his native town, and in 1831 he became assistant in the chemical schools. He pu ...
,
palaeontologist
Paleontology (), also spelled palaeontology or palæontology, is the scientific study of life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene epoch (roughly 11,700 years before present). It includes the study of fossi ...
and
chemist
A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe th ...
(1809–1887)
*
Jean Stas
Jean Servais Stas (21 August 1813 – 13 December 1891) was a Belgian analytical chemist who co-discovered the atomic weight of carbon.
Life and work
Stas was born in Leuven and trained initially as a physician. He later switched to chemistr ...
, analytical chemist (1813–1891)
*
Bernardine Hamaekers
Caroline Frédérique Bernardine Hamaekers (12 June 1836 – 24 October 1912) was a Belgian soprano prominent in the opera houses and ''demimonde'' of Paris from the mid-1850s through 1869. For a time she was the mistress of Napoleon III, but had ...
opera singer (1836–1912)
*
Arthur De Greef Arthur De Greef may refer to:
* Arthur De Greef (composer)
Arthur De Greef (10 October 186229 August 1940) was a Belgian pianist and composer.
Life and career
Born in Louvain, he won first prize in a local music competition at the age of 11 a ...
, pianist and composer (1862–1940)
*
Jean Hissette
Jean Hissette (30 August 1888 – 26 August 1965) was a Belgian ophthalmologist.
Hissette was born in Leuven. In 1930, he became the first to discover African River Blindness, a severe eye disease occurring in people affected by onchocercias ...
, ophthalmologist (1888–1965)
*
Hortense Clews
Hortense Clews (née Daman; 12 August 1926 – 18 December 2006) was member of the Belgian Resistance during World War II. World War II
Resistance worker and
Concentration Camp
Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simply ...
survivor (b. 1926)
*
Arthur Berckmans
Arthur Berckmans (3 May 1929 – 28 December 2020), better known as Berck, was a Belgian comics author, best known for ''Sammy''.
Biography
Arthur Berckmans was born in Leuven in 1929.De Weyer, Geert (2005). "Berck". In België gestript, pp. 9 ...
, comics author (b. 1929)
*
Mark Eyskens
Marc Maria Frans, viscount Eyskens (born 29 April 1933), known as Mark Eyskens, is a Belgian economist, professor and politician in the Christian People's Party, now called Christian Democratic and Flemish, and briefly served as the prime minis ...
, politician and former
Prime Minister of Belgium
german: Premierminister von Belgien
, insignia = State Coat of Arms of Belgium.svg
, insigniasize = 100px
, insigniacaption = Coat of arms
, insigniaalt =
, flag = Government ...
(b. 1933)
*
Jan Hoet
Knight Jan Hoet (; 23 June 1936 – 27 February 2014) was the Belgian founder of SMAK (''Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst'' or Municipal Museum for Contemporary Art) in Ghent, Belgium.
Biography
Jan Hoet was born in Leuven, Belgium. Throug ...
, curator and art critic (1936–2014)
*
Louis Tobback
Louis Marie Joseph Tobback (born 3 May 1938) is a Belgian politician. Tobback is a Flemish social democrat and member of the political party SP.A. He was the mayor of Leuven (1995–2018) He graduated in Romance philology at the Vrije Univers ...
, politician and mayor (b. 1938)
*
Emiel Puttemans
Emiel Adrien "Miel" Puttemans (born 8 October 1947) is a retired middle- and long-distance runner, who set world records for 3000 metres (7 minutes 37.6 seconds) in 1972, for 2 miles (8 minutes 17.8 seconds) in 1971, and for 5000 metres (13 ...
, middle- and long-distance runner (b. 1947)
*
Frank Vandenbroucke Frank Vandenbroucke is the name of:
*Frank Vandenbroucke (politician) (born 1955), Belgian politician
*Frank Vandenbroucke (cyclist)
Frank Vandenbroucke (6 November 1974 – 12 October 2009) was a Belgian professional road racing cyclist. After ...
, politician (b. 1955)
*
Martin Margiela
Martin Margiela (born 9 April 1957) is a Belgian fashion designer, artist, and Organizational founder, founder of French Luxury goods, luxury fashion house Maison Margiela. Throughout his career, Margiela has maintained a low profile, refusing ...
, fashion designer (b. 1957)
*
Didier de Radiguès
Didier de Radiguès (born 27 March 1958) is a Belgian former professional motorcycle racer, auto racing driver and current artist. He also serves as a television sports color commentator for Belgium television, a Moto GP riders manager and as t ...
, professional motorsports competitor (b. 1958)
*
William Van Dijck
William Van Dijck (born 24 January 1961) is a Belgian former athlete, primarily active on the 3000m steeplechase.
Biography
Van Dijck was born in Leuven. He was the first Belgian to win a medal at the World Championships, winning the bronze ...
, athlete, 1987 World Championships bronze medallist in 3000m steeplechase (b. 1961)
*
Thomas Meuwissen, violinmaker (b. 1966)
*
Bruno Bosteels __NOTOC__
Bruno Bosteels (; born 1967, Leuven, Belgium) is a professor of Spanish and Comparative Literature at Columbia University. He served until 2010 as the General Editor of ''diacritics''. Bosteels is best known to the English-speaking worl ...
, philosopher, known for English translations of
Alain Badiou
Alain Badiou (; ; born 17 January 1937) is a French philosopher, formerly chair of Philosophy at the École normale supérieure (ENS) and founder of the faculty of Philosophy of the Université de Paris VIII with Gilles Deleuze, Michel Foucau ...
(b. 1967)
*
Kim Gevaert
Kim Gevaert (born 5 August 1978 in Leuven) is a former sprint athlete and Olympic champion from Belgium.
Career
Her closest brush with a world title came in running 4/100 of a second behind three-time champion Gail Devers at the 2004 IAAF Wor ...
, sprint athlete, Olympic gold medalist in 4×100 relay Beijing 2008 (Silver; Gold after Russian disqualification) (b. 1978)
*
Jonathan Vandenbroeck, singer-songwriter, better known as
Milow
Jonathan Ivo Gilles Vandenbroeck (; born 14 July 1981), known professionally as Milow, is a Belgian singer-songwriter. Milow released his debut album, ''The Bigger Picture'', in 2006 on his own label Homerun Records. The fourth single from that ...
(b. 1981)
*
Dries Mertens
Dries Mertens (; born 6 May 1987), nicknamed "Ciro", is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a striker or winger for Süper Lig club Galatasaray and the Belgium national team. , footballer (b. 1987)
*
Selah Sue
Selah Sue (born Sanne Greet A. Putseys,Wensink, Herien (2009)A Flemish singer with a Jamaican soul, NRC, 21 August 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2010 3 May 1989) is a Belgian musician and songwriter. Her debut album, ''Selah Sue'' (2011), was a maj ...
, musician and songwriter (b. 1989)
*
Stienes Longin, racing driver (b. 1991)
*
Elise Mertens
Elise Mertens (; born 17 November 1995) is a Belgian professional tennis player. She is a former world No. 1 in doubles.
Mertens is a three-time Grand Slam champion in doubles, having won the 2019 US Open and 2021 Australian Open partnering Ar ...
, tennis (b. 1995)
Lived in Leuven
International relations
Twin towns/sister cities
Leuven is
twinned with:
*
's-Hertogenbosch
s-Hertogenbosch (), colloquially known as Den Bosch (), is a city and municipality in the Netherlands with a population of 157,486. It is the capital of the province of North Brabant and its fourth largest by population. The city is south of th ...
, Netherlands
*
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
*
Lüdenscheid
Lüdenscheid () is a city in the Märkischer Kreis district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the Sauerland region.
Geography
Lüdenscheid is located on the saddle of the watershed between the Lenne and Volme rivers which b ...
, Germany
*
Rennes
Rennes (; br, Roazhon ; Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France at the confluence of the Ille and the Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department ...
, France
*
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve (; wa, Ocgniye-Li Noû Lovén) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. On January 1, 2006, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve had a total population of 29,521. The total area i ...
, Belgium
Friendly relations
Aside from the aforementioned cities, Leuven has friendly relations with:
*
New Delhi
New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
*
Tainan
Tainan (), officially Tainan City, is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality in southern Taiwan facing the Taiwan Strait on its western coast. Tainan is the oldest city on the island and also commonly known as the "Capital City" ...
, Taiwan
*
, South Africa
*
Wuxi
Wuxi (, ) is a city in southern Jiangsu province, eastern China, by car to the northwest of downtown Shanghai, between Changzhou and Suzhou. In 2017 it had a population of 3,542,319, with 6,553,000 living in the entire prefecture-level city ar ...
, People's Republic of China
*
Ocaña, Spain
Ocaña, a town and municipality of central Spain, in the province of Toledo. It is located on the extreme north of the tableland known as the Mesa de Ocaña, and has a station on the railway from Aranjuez to Cuenca.
Toponymy
The term ''Ocañ ...
Leuven has an 'adoptive village'
*
Cristian, Romania
See also
*
Koninklijke Oost- en Westvlaamsche Kring
References
Notes
Bibliography
*
"Louvain", chapter from
George Wharton Edwards's 1911 book, ''
Some Old Flemish Towns''. (Wikisource)
* Diriken, Pierre. ''Geogids Leuven'', Kortessem, (ISBN 90-752-2450-8).
* Knuth, Rebecca (2006). ''Burning Books and Leveling Libraries: Extremist Violence and Cultural Destruction''. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.
* Tuchman, Barbara (1962). ''The Guns of August''. New York: Macmillan.
* Van Even, Edward (1895). ''Louvain dans le passé et dans le présent'' (in French), Leuven (ISBN 2-87723-578-5).
External links
*
Detailed map of Leuven (detailed map of Leuven by the KUL)
*
Trains between Brussels and Leuven
{{Authority control
Municipalities of Flemish Brabant
Provincial capitals of Flanders
Sub-municipalities of Leuven
World Heritage Sites in Belgium