The university town of Leuven in Belgium

A close pediatrician friend had always been very enthusiastic about her one-year stint at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. She got a grant to finish her masteral studies in Medical Bioethics there, and had always told us not to miss this city when we visit the country.

So one cool early spring morning, my husband Alex and I took a train from the Central Station in Brussels for Leuven, about 25 km east of the capital. We learned that the town's name is Louvain in French, but both names were clearly written in the huge rotating LED board high on one wall of the station. Our ticket said 9:44 a.m., but when the train that said Leuven stopped at 9:40 a.m. we got in immediately. We later learned that the 9:44 trip was a direct one, but it was fun looking at the passing landscape and stopping at several towns, one of which was “Erps Kwerps,” an interesting name, indeed!

After an hour we alighted. A large avenue started right at the entrance of the train station, leading out into a quiet plaza surrounded by tall, narrow storefronts so typical in the Low Countries. Clear street signs pointed out interesting historical must-sees. One arrow pointed towards the Hotel de Ville (not a hotel, but the Town Hall), and we followed that direction.

Along the way, we marveled at the beautiful cobblestone streets and the wide clean pedestrian paths. In one of the shops, a bubbly young girl offered us fresh pears with stickers that said: “Schuilt er en apple achter deze peer?” (Is there an apple lurking behind this pear?) We later learned that it was the shop’s promo for Apple’s iPhone 5.

We reached the end of the street, turned, and stopped on our tracks. To our left was a splendid castle-like edifice, with an intricate, lace-like façade that had niches for countless images. Colorful pennants brightened the walls. It was the Town Hall building. Constructed from 1439 to 1463, it was built in the overly-sculptured, decorative style of the so-called Grabant-Gothic style. It looked like a cathedral with its soaring six open-work spires. During the 19th century, about 236 statues of noble families, local scholars and heroes were placed on the niches. In the towers were statues of saints and prophets. It was dizzying just to stand in front of the whole building, and making sense of the thousand and one details.

Just across it was the St. Peter’s Church, parts of which were being renovated when we visited. The church housed the famous “Last Supper” by Dirk Bouts; but what impressed me most was the fully carved hardwood pulpit on the right of the central nave. Looking closely we could see St. Peter and the rooster that crowed when he denied Christ thrice before sunrise. The pulpit was fully decorated with minute engravings, and it looked as if carved from a single tree. Above it was an umbrella-like circular “ceiling” with palm leaves.

When we went out of the church we realized we were in time for the weekend Farmer’s Market. Many produce lined the streets, including bright-colored pumpkins in many hues. Flower sellers were doing brisk business, as many locals were haggling over flowering plants. Freshly-baked bread, countless kinds of cheese, and some handicraft shops vied for the browsers’ attention. Without our knowing it, we had reached the Oud Markt, or the Old Market Square.

This was a rectangular cobblestone area lined by many restaurants and cafés. At its southern end was the Holy Trinity College. In summer, the Marktrock draws many rock music enthusiasts to town, and fairs and student welcoming activities are celebrated here in September. At night time the restaurants put out chairs and tables to entice merry makers, and at night, it was as if a long bar had been formed all the way through the square. In fact, this was called the “longest bar in the world”! Leuven also brews the world-famous Stella Artois beer, specifically by the Anheuser-Busch InBev. Alex, a beer enthusiast, was in his element.

In the center of the square was an intriguing bronze figure, a beautiful young woman sitting gracefully on a wooden bench, with her head flung up as she smiled towards the sky. Her arms were open, the left one draped over the back support of the bench. In her right hand was what looked like a water kettle. This was the famous “De Kotmadam” (The Landlady) figure at the Oud Markt, done by Fred Bellefroid and installed in 1985, a gift to the city by the Leuven Tourism Board.  

Adjacent to the Oud Markt and the Naamestrasse was the University of Leuven. Dating from 1317 when this Flemish province had a flourishing cloth trade, the University Hall used to be the Cloth Hall where the weavers guild stored their world-famous goods. Now it was part of the university grounds. Along Naamestrasse too, we found St. Bonaventure’s College, Worcester Academy, the Heilege-Geestcollege (1442) and the Central Library of the KU (Katholieke Universiteit) Leuven. A large board indicated the library’s hours: it was even open on Sundays, between 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.! A university town indeed, with so many students from around the world, its library had to be open seven days a week!

The KU Leuven is the oldest university in existence, and the largest in the Low Countries.  Across the university too were many small ethnic restaurants, like the New Holy Cow (Fine Indian Food) which offered “Home Deliveries and Take Away.”

Further on we encountered another bronze statue, “Renée,” a young schoolgirl cradling her books and leaning nonchalantly against a wooden peg. Indeed she blended so well with the university atmosphere! Across the street too was another old church, the St. Michael’s, which was described as a “Jesuit baroque” (1650- 1671) with its wide, curved façade, tall round pillars, rich decorations; and especially the “altar outside the church.”

We continued to wind our way slowly around Leuven, discovering some more interesting  nooks, simply soaking up the quiet old-world atmosphere of this university town. — BM, GMA News