Belgium: The City of Leuven

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• published: 25 Oct 2014
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The City of Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium. It is located about 25 kilometres (16 miles) east of Brussels. It is home to to the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, the largest and oldest university of the Low Countries and the oldest Catholic university still in existence. It is also home to the UZ Leuven, one of the largest hospitals of Europe. Both world wars in the 20th century inflicted major damage upon the city. Because it is the capital of the region of Flemish-Brabant, many governmental institutions are located in Leuven. As the largest and one of the oldest Flemish cities in the immediate vicinity, with a large range of cafés, restaurants, cultural institutions and shopping neighbourhoods, Leuven also attracts people from nearby cities and villages. Some buildings and landmarks are: the Town Hall in a Brabantian late-Gothic 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. The St. Peter's Church (1425–1500) was finished by Jan Keldermans and Matheus de Layens. During the Second World War the church was damaged; during the restoration a Romanesque crypt from the 11th century was found. In the church itself there are several paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries and the grave of Duke Henry I of Brabant. The 50-metre-high tower — which was meant to be 169 metres high, but was never completed — is home to a carillon. The tower was included in UNESCO's list of Belfries of Belgium and France in 1999. The Linen-Hall, in an early-Gothic style, with baroque addition, is today the University Hall. Source: Wikipedia