Discover Leuven Belgium
Discover Leuven Belgium on a day trip from Brussels, one of the many hidden gems you will find in this beautiful country.
Leuven is a University city in Belgium, and is home to the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, one of the oldest and largest Catholic Universities still in existence.
It’s a lively city with beautiful architecture, historic old world charm, and one of the most beautiful Beguinage we’ve ever visited in the country.
Leuven Belgium is also known for its breweries. Home to the largest brewery in the world, it’s flagship beer, Stella Artois is brewed here.
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Top things to do in Leuven Belgium
Admire the Leuven Town Hall
One of the highlights of Leuven Belgium is the Town Hall. Leuven’s Town Hall is a 15th-century landmark building on the city’s Grote Markt (Main Market) square.
Built in a Brabantine Late Gothic style, it is famous for its ornate architecture, crafted in lace-like detail. The building is decorated with hundreds of statues of local figures, biblical characters and saints.
The building is well preserved and survived both World Wars with only some minor damages, but has since been restored. It is one of the most striking features in the market square with its magnificent architecture!
St. Peters Church
Across from the Leuven Town Hall is the late Gothic St. Peter’s Church. Built in the 15th century, it replaced a 10th century wooden church that burned to the ground.
The church houses a few paintings made by the famous Flemish painter, Dieric Bouts, including the “Last Supper”. It is a magnificent church, the beautiful interior and it’s elaborate oak pulpit are worth a look.
Discover Leuven Belgium: University Library
Visit the University Library located on the Ladeuzeplein. It was built by the American architect Whitney Warren as a gift from the American people to Leuven after World War I. The original library was burned down during the war and has since been restored.
Another highlight in the square is the sculpture of a beetle called the “Totem”. Located in front of the library is a 23-metre-high needle impaling a giant jewelled beetle, it is a work of the Belgian artist Jan Fabre, and it’s quite amusing.
People watch the Oude Markt Square
The ‘Oude Markt’ or Old Market square, located in the centre of Leuven, features a vibrant social scene. It’s nicknamed the longest bar in Europe, because the square is lined with many breweries, cafes, and restaurants.
Sit in the outdoor seating and sample some of Belgium’s UNESCO listed local beers, and admire the beautiful architecture around you.
Explore the streets of the Groot Beginjhof of Leuven
Just a short walk away from the city center is the 13th century Groot Begijnhof of Leuven. The beguinage was a community for unmarried, semi-religious women, and is one of the largest remaining beguinages in the country.
Today, it is owned by the University of Leuven and used as a campus, especially for housing academics.
Strolling through the streets, you can’t help but be in awe of the beauty here. It truly felt like we stepped back in time, and definitely one of the highlights of our visit to Leuven!
Plan your next family trip to Belgium and discover Leuven Belgium. We were totally surprised at how beautiful this city really is. You can easily explore Leuven on a daytrip from Brussels, and I highly recommend you do.
If you enjoyed this post, read more about our road trips through Belgium here.
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