Leuven

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Municipal flag Leuven
Leuven Town Hall.
 
Location on map of Belgium
Coat of arms Location of Leuven in Flemish Brabant
Geography
Country Belgium
Region Flag of Flanders Flemish Region
Community Flag of Flanders Flemish Community
Province Flag of Flemish Brabant Flemish Brabant
Arrondissement Leuven
Coordinates 50°53′N 04°42′E / 50.883, 4.7Coordinates: 50°53′N 04°42′E / 50.883, 4.7
Area 56.63 km²
Population (Source: NIS)
Population
– Males
– Females
- Density		 90,706 (January 1, 2006)
49.32%
50.68%
1602 inhab./km²
Age distribution
0–19 years
20–64 years
65+ years		 (01/01/2006)
19.59%
63.45%
16.95%
Foreigners 9.43% (01/07/2005)
Economy
Unemployment rate 8.67% (January 1, 2006)
Mean annual income 15,183 €/pers. (2003)
Government
Mayor Louis Tobback (SP.A)
Governing parties SP.A-Spirit, CD&V-N-VA
Other information
Postal codes 3000, 3001, 3010, 3012, 3018
Area codes 016
Web address www.leuven.be

Leuven listen (help·info) (French Louvain, often used in English, German Löwen) is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in Flanders, Belgium. It is located about 30 kilometers east of Brussels, with as other neighbouring cities Mechelen, Aarschot, Tienen, and Wavre.

It is one of the Flanders' Art Cities.

The municipality comprises the historical city of Leuven and the adjacent villages of Heverlee, Kessel-Lo, a part of Korbeek-Lo, Wilsele and Wijgmaal.

Contents

[edit] History

The first mention of Leuven goes back to 891 ('Loven'), when a Viking army was defeated by the Frankish king Arnulf of Carinthia (see: Battle of Leuven). According to the city legend, its red-white-red colours depict the blood-stained shores of the river Dijle after this battle.

Situated at this river and nearby the stronghold of the Dukes of Brabant, Leuven became the most important centre of trade in the duchy between the 11th and the 14th century. A token of its former importance as a centre of cloth manufacture, is nicely reflected in the typical Leuven linen cloth, known in late 14-15th century texts as lewyn (other spellings: Leuwyn, Levyne, Lewan(e), Lovanium, Louvain)[1].

In the 15th century a new golden era began with the founding of the largest and oldest university in the Low Countries, the Catholic University of Leuven, in 1425.

Destruction of the university library, 1915.
Destruction of the university library, 1915.

In the 18th century Leuven became even more important because of a flourishing brewery that would later become Interbrew (recently renamed to InBev), the largest brewery company in the world. In fact, InBev's Stella Artois brewery and main offices dominate the entire north-eastern part of the town, between the railway station and the canal to Mechelen.

In the 20th century, both world wars inflicted major damage to the city. The university library was deliberately destroyed by the German army on August 25, 1914, using petrol and incendiary pastilles. Hundreds of thousands of irreplaceable volumes and manuscripts were lost. [2] [3] The world was outraged over this and the library was completely rebuilt after World War I with American charity funds and German war indemnities. After World War II, the burnt down building had to be restored again. It still stands as a symbol of the wars and of Allied solidarity.

[edit] Sights

The Town Hall.
The Town Hall.
Fonske.
Fonske.
The University Library.
The University Library.
  • The University Library was built by the American architect Whitney Warren. The tower houses one of the largest carillons in the world.
  • There is a ducal castle dating from the 12th century on the Keizersberg ("Emperor's Mountain") which was demolished in the 17th Century. Today there is a neo-romanesque Abbey where the castle once stood.
  • The Large Beguinage is one of the world's best remaining examples of its architectural type. It was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1998.
  • There are several other smaller churches and chapels around town.
  • "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 in Brussels, Fonske is from time to time dressed in costumes appropriate for the occasion.

[edit] Student population

Nowadays Leuven is a real "student city", as during the academic year most citizens in its centre are students.

Leuven sports one of the liveliest bar scenes in Belgium. Besides boasting the "longest bar" in Belgium, the Old Market, tens of bars and cafés crammed into a central square in Leuven, it's also the proud home city of Belgium's smallest bar, Onder den Toog in the Noormannenstraat.

The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Catholic University Leuven) is the oldest Catholic university still in existence and one of the biggest universities in Belgium.

One of the orchestras formed by students is the "Arenbergorkest", allowing these young people to combine study and music. There is also a number of hogescholen (Vocational university, literally translated: "high schools") such as the Katholieke Hogeschool Leuven (Catholic High School Leuven), as well as a university college: Groep T (Group T).

[edit] Mayor

The mayor of Leuven is currently Louis Tobback, a socialist politician prominent on the national level who was once minister of internal affairs and leader of the socialist faction in the lower chamber of the Belgian parliament, among other things.

[edit] Sister cities

Leuven is twinned with:

Besides these sister cities, Leuven has friendly relations with:

[edit] Culture

Leuven is well known for its summer rock festival Marktrock. The main football club of the municipality is Oud-Heverlee Leuven, the successor of K. Stade Leuven. Leuven also has some orchestras, like the famous Arenberg Orchestra.

[edit] Famous inhabitants

[edit] Born in Leuven

Great Beguinage
Great Beguinage

[edit] Lived in Leuven

[edit] References

  1. ^ Blaeu Atlas (UCLA Library - YRL Reference and Instructional Services)
  2. ^ Kramer, Alan (2008). Dynamic Of Destruction, Culture and mass killing in the first world war. Penguin. ISBN 9781846140136. 
  3. ^ Gibson, Craig (2008). "The culture of destruction in the First World War". Times Literary Supplement (January 30, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-02-18. 

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
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Municipalities in the Province of Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium
Halle-Vilvoorde
Leuven
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leuven"
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