Best tips to visit Leuven and its Gothic town hall in Belgium

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Facade of the Gothic city hall of Leuven in Flanders

During your tourism trip through Flanders in Belgium maybe you will reach Leuven attracted by the possibility of seeing his famous gothic town hall,

Great fame has its facade, one of the most spectacular of this architectural style that you can see in that Belgian region.

Or maybe with the intention of enjoying the great university environment that is lived in this city during most of the year.

Main street of the center of Leuven

Or also attracted to fame as beer capital of Belgium, which has its greatest exponent in the Oude Markt square, axis of concentration of students and visitors to enjoy a craft beer in one of its always busy terraces.

In any case, I will tell you that the visit of Leuven It will bring you other pleasant surprises, with some really interesting corners.

In order to plan your trip, I'll give you some Useful tips to visit Leuven, and I will tell you what you can see in this Flemish city.

What to see in Leuven

Very close to Brussels, first of all you should know that Leuven you can arrive by train in little more than half an hour.

Leuven University Library in Flanders in Belgium

And if you go directly from the airport of the Belgian capital, as was the case during my trip, it will only take you a quarter of an hour to find yourself in Leuven.

From its train station you can walk to the Main Square down the shopping street Bondgenotenlaan, where you will see beautiful facade of buildings, which were rebuilt after the First World War in its original architectural style.

University Library

On the way to the Main Square, on the left you will find the huge square where the majestic building of the University Library of Leuven.

You have to keep in mind that Leuven It is the most important university city in Belgium, which may explain why it has a building as impressive as its library headquarters.

Of course, as a curiosity I will tell you that it is a building built with US funding after the previous library was destroyed during the First World War.

M-Museum of Leuven in Flanders in Belgium

Built in Flemish Renaissance style, in various corners of the current university library building you will find traces of the collaboration of the United States.

From the top of the tower you can see some good Panoramic views of the city of Leuven; Going up to it was pending for an upcoming occasion to visit this Flemish city.

M-Museum of Leuven

From the library, on the way to the Main Square you have the building of M-Museum of Leuven, an architectural mix of classic style and contemporary art.

The collection you can visit too combine old works with 19th century art.

Gothic town hall in the main square of Leuven in Flanders

Gothic city hall of Leuven

In the Plaza del Mayor you find what, without a doubt, is the great architectural work to see in Leuven.

From the mid-fifteenth century, the building of Leuven town hall It is an impressive display of style flowery gothic.

The most prominent corner of this architectural complex is the so-called front house, Front of St. Peter's Church.

Its facade will impress you with its spectacular collection of 236 statues mounted on its niches.

This will undoubtedly be one of the images that will stay in your retina after the visit of Leuven.

St. Peter's Church

In front of the town hall building you will also be struck by the St. Peter's Church.

St. Peter's Church in Leuven in Flanders in Belgium

Started its construction in 1425, it is a church without towers, except for a small arrow-shaped elevation that rises above the cruise.

In its very bright interior where the white color of the decoration prevails, you can see several works of flamenco primitive artists, and a spectacular wooden pulpit will also attract your attention.

Oude Markt Square

Behind the main square is a large rectangular square that is considered as «the longest bar in the world«.

This is explained because, except in a university building in the square, a succession of bars and restaurants with their respective terraces is located all around it.

You can imagine the atmosphere it has in the peak moments of the university course.

Oude Markt square in Leuven in Flanders in Belgium

The Oude Markt square it is the best representation of the long Leuven beer tradition, city that in the nineteenth century came to have almost 800 breweries.

Now in the region of Bravante-Flamenco There are 30 small factories that produce up to 250 different types of craft beer.

And on your Leuven getaway you can also visit the factory Inbev, the second largest in the world, where they produce the famous beer Stella Artois.

University colleges

In you walk through Leuven you will see various colleges and university buildings, there are several that are distributed throughout the city center.

Papal College of the University of Leuven in Flanders

To highlight the Papal College (Paulcollege), building that in 1523 the Pope Adriano VI established as housing for poor students of theology.

Rebuilt in 1775, it is now a classic-style building in which the lions of the main entrance stairs to the school stand out.

Another building to point out is the University Pavilion, current headquarters of rector.

The original building was built in 1327 in Gothic style, but later, already at the beginning of the 20th century, it had to be rebuilt after a fire.

From its upper floor you have beautiful views of the Main Square of Leuven.

Great Beguinage of Leuven in Flanders, Belgium

Great Beguinage of Leuven

Now, the great discovery of my trip to Leuven was the Great Beguinage, enclave where you will truly feel moved to the Middle Ages.

Its origins date back to 1205, and it is a place where Blessed women lived known as beguines.

He Beaterio It became a small walled town where more than 300 qualified homes were grouped for these women, who had a vow of chastity, although not of poverty.

This declared corner World Heritage by Unesco with the others beguards of BelgiumIt is currently a place of residence for teachers and students of the University of Leuven.

Views of Leuven in Flanders in Belgium

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Video: Belgium: The City of Leuven (March 2024).