First mentions of Leuven are referred to 884 AD. At that time it was used as a stay for Normans. Starting from the IX century Leuven became the residence of earls. In 1106 it became the official residence of dukes of Louvain. During XI – XII centuries Leuven got sufficient popularity as the center of trading and textile industry. However, it lost its importance already in XV-XVI centuries. During both World Wars the town was occupied by the German troops.
Starting from the medieval time Leuven has got a circular planning. There are several gothic buildings in this place. These are Saint Quintin’s Kirche, St. Hertrudis Kirche, St. Peter’s churches, a 12 meters tall tabernacle made of stone, a town hall and living quarters. The St. Michael’s Kirche church is designed in the Baroque style.
The buildings of the university, Large and Old trading squares are surrounded by royal examples of architecture of XV-XVI centuries. The town hall located on the Grote Markt is the most fascinating building of the town and of all Belgium as well.
Continue reading
This article about Leuven is written by the orangesmile.com editorial team and is protected by the copyright law. The article can only be re-used with a direct link to www.orangesmile.com