Astraftis

Italy - 18-Feb-25 -

The celebrations for the 600 years of Leuven's university (KU Leuven) have just started (on February 14-15th), so I feel this is the best occasion for a new review to shed more light upon this slumbering proposal! 

There is a slight approximation in this reckoning, as the existence of the university was not continuous, and three institutions followed on another during the centuries, so that the current one (KU = katholieke universiteit, but it is more and more used as an "empty acronym") is not the same one that was founded back in 1425. However, now as in the 15th century, it represents the main driving force of Leuven, its presence overlapping with the whole city and beyond, and attracting students and scholars from everywhere (including me). It has even spawned, as it were, a new city-university in 1968, the Université Catholique in Louvain-la-Neuve, some 25 kms to the south beyond the linguistic border! Few other stories exemplify the modern essence of Belgium as this one.

Now, it is true that Leuven already boasts 2 WHS locations (a belfort in Sint Pieter and the great beguinage) and a stunning Gothic town hall (closed for renovations for the coming years), but neither is part of this tentative nomination. Or better: today the great beguinage is owned by the university and used as an ensemble of residences, but it was a completely different entity for centuries, and as such is not even nominated in the dossier.  Apart from KU's main downtown buildings (main library and university hall) , then, what is central to this site are the more or less preserved colleges scattered throughout the town, and if you have ever walked in Leuven you have surely come across one of them! 

Taking everything into account, this TWHS consists of a massive network of architectural heritage bearing its distinctive and peculiar features, still influencing the cityscape, its very psychogeography I'd dare to say, and determining its rythms, so that after an initial perplexity I would be positively inclined to favourably consider its reception into the List. It's just that, as paradoxical as it may sound, this heritage is not completely obvious at first sight/visit: it is either too obvious, or it is very often about sneaking & peeking. As the dossier says, it can be experienced as a promenade, so let me synthetically walk you through it! 

The university and the city

The most spectacular building, and the modern focal point of the whole university in my opinion, is the main library on the Ladeuzeplein. It is visitable, with a nice audioguide, and I think it is one of the must-sees of the city. It embodies the resilience of the university, as it was built with US support after the destruction of the original library (in Naamsestraat/Oude Markt) in WWI, and itself destroyed and rebuilt after WWII. The sedes sapientiae ("seat of wisdom"), i.e. the patroness Madonna of KU, on its front is depicted in a quite combative look, and is surrounded by beasts representing allied countries. The imposing tower is purely in the tradition of Belgian belforts, and it has the most important carillon of the city, regularly playing small concerts (you can attend one, or you can send a mail if you recognise some song in the hope of winning bookstore coupons!). From there, you have a beautiful panorama from which you can more or less see all other buildings of the university. I will let you ponder about the meaning of the needle-impaled jewel beetle by the controversial Jan Fabre in the middle of the square (it was gifted for another anniversary, the 575th); you might feel baffled as most of the inhabitants.

On the back of the main library, almost hidden despite its size, I would strongly advise not to miss the Erasmushuis (faculty of Arts), a masterwork of late brutalism of complexly combining volumes, once nicknamed the "Kremlin" or the "bunker", immersed in a lush literary garden. It has by now seen 50 out of the 600 years of history of KU (so ca 8,3%) and you should be able to enter and roam freely, and appreciate its intact interiors (and maybe enjoying its hip coffee bar). Just call me if I am not on a mission andI will join you! The Erasmushuis (on the earlier site of a demolished cathedral and monastery) is part of a wave of renewed expansion following the schism in 1968, which also notably includes the later aula De Somer and the Maurits Sabbe library (faculty of theology), not far away. 

Going back to the roots, the old heart (but actually still the administrative seat) of the KU lies at the beginning of Naamsestraat (the road leading to Namen = Namur; but its old name is Proefstraat, coming from proefst, a variant of proost 'provost', from Latin, churchmen administering the university) at number 22. It is the old Gothic lakenhal (cloth hall) from the 14th century, which was converted to universiteitshal in 1425, when the commerce in wool was irresistibly declining and Leuven was quick to correct its course and reinvent itself before any other city in the region. Famously, a story is popularly told that at the time there was the desire to establish both a university and a sheep market in Brabant. Envoyees went first to Lier, a town between Leuven and Antwerp, asking about their preference: thinking it to be more lucrative, its inhabitants had no second thought in choosing the sheep market, and so Leuven was left with the apparently second-tier choice of a university. But it became soon clear who would come out better... and so Lier inhabitants got their not so complimentary nickname of schapenkoppen "sheepheads". On top of the original building there is a baroque addition of the time the university acquired the whole hall, and you can see the other side of the building on the Oude Markt, sticking out between all the busy bars there. This was also the seat of the first library, heavily damaged (as the whole city) during WWI. You can access the entrance and roam around as possible, but not really visit it. There is apparently a small museum, though, and the big hall has just been given back to by the city the university, so you might be able to get a glance thereof.

Now, hoary Naamsestraat is probably the most college-dense street of Leuven: here you find the first among them, the Heilige-Geestcollege (1445-1797), i.e. the Holy Ghost college. There are others, and all have a small plaque with some information (in Dutch), and sometimes some more story to tell (important discoveries, distinguished scholars, diplomatic ties...). All over the centre, their presence is signalled by big elegant baroque portals, which sometimes are their only remnants (as for the Savoy college, 1551-1797, at the M museum), but at other times lead to courtyard or passages: it is nice to enter wherever possible, to get at least a peep of them. Two of the best preserved colleges, still used as student houses, are almost connected to each other: the Valk "falcon" (1543-1787; Tiensestraat/Ladeuzeplein), actually a pedagogie, and the Pauscollege "pope's college" (1523-1797; Hogeschoolplein/Deberiotstrat, passage is open), so called because it was founded by pope Adrian VI, a former Leuven student. They are massive, yet elegant buildings, as opposed to other colleges of which only more modest façades are left, after turbulent centuries during which they were also eventually abolished. Some colleges still work on a geographical basis as in old times, like the collegium hungaricum in Blijde Inkomststraat. Another historically radicated presence is the Irish college, not far from the beguinage. Colleges are a whole story of their own: they were an institution in the institution.

A very particular college was the Drietalencollege, the "college of the three tongues", that is Latin, Greek and Hebrew. It was an institution founded in 1517 where free instruction in these three Biblical languages was provided, and where also Erasmus of Rotterdam taught! Its importance in the context of Renaissance philological studies is paramount, and in a sense it entered in a sort of competition with the university proper. Now it lies hidden in the Busleidengang, on the Vismarkt, and the name has passed on to a Korean restaurant. But inside the old brick building, there is still the wentelsteen, an original winding staircase which you can discreetly access in the footsteps of Erasmus (and which gives the title to a novel). 

In a more eccentric position and across the river Dyle, still part of the university complex is the botanical garden (kruidtuin), a wonderful oasis with many different spaces and an especially poetic little "sunken garden"; I also like very much the small orchard, with its Brabantian hens and very relevant pears. Not far from it, in a picturesque corner of the old water port, you can find the tower of Jansenius, a residence of its own where an important part of Catholic history took form. And if you wander farther to Heverlee, you will find the modern science campus in Arenberg, where a splendid Renaissance castle dominates the park.

Conclusion

I admit not having direct experience of other famous university cities like Oxford or Heidelberg, but those for which I do, like Pavia or Padova in Italy (or Bologna, maybe too big to be compared), maybe also Darmstadt in Germany, feel quite different: their universities are an important part of them, but they and their emanations do not literally constitute the skeleton of the historical centre as in Leuven. Leuven surely represents an extremely important and remarkable example in the development and history of the universitary institution, and its both old and new architectural heritage embodies the way life was organised around it, besides having its own merits (especially the modern main library). Unfortunately this does not shine through the 2002 presentation of this tentative site, which focuses on the history of KU in a rather dull way. There is much more to say, however, and above all much more exciting ways to highlight the points of interest. I wonder if this important anniversary will bring new attention on this apparently forgotten proposal: if Belgium still has something to give to the List, since so much is already covered by belforts and beguinages, mines and artistic architecture, beyond a couple of interesting natural or mixed proposals (natural parks, Neanderthal caves) I would even say this could be their safe bet. It would highlight one of the prides of the country, what has long been the only university in the Low Countries, and be complementary to the Renaissance pole of the Plantijn-Moretus museum in Antwerp. University cities are not really that represented in the List, and the only one with a similar historical scope is Coimbra (and maybe Alcalá): Leuven surely could say its own, belonging to different tradition, era, and political sphere. 

All that said, and despite the pride breathing through any official statement, surprisingly there isn't a real university museum. There is a lack of focus of sorts (and unfortunately Leuven is not strong with regard to museums in general). Anyway, there are regular thematic tours offered by the tourist office (and have an overview here), the more so this year, and there is a shiny neat app with many tours (even for campuses in other cities), KU Leuven walking tours, including colleges and Erasmus. If you look for more information, there is plenty of printed materials in various languages, especially in any of the well stocked (and how else could it be!) bookstores in town. One of the most recent publications, and a rather definitive one, is Leuven en zijn colleges, by a master of the local history (Edward De Maesschalck). But I hope to have given you a key to unlock the atmosphere of the place even just by strolling down its bustling streets, and especially the curiousity of doing so! 

PHOTO: the front of the main library from the Ladeuzeplein. 

Matejicek

Czechia - 23-Dec-19 -

I had an opportunity to thoroughly visit this pleasant little University town in September 2019 beacause of the conference organized by KU Leuven (KU = Catholic University). Thus, I could explore the buildings belonging to KU located in the town center quite intensively. As the University is an inseparable part of Leuven, there are a lot of buildings used by KU scattered all around Leuven. While most of the lectures took place in modern buildings - the largest was Pieter de Somer Aula, we had opportunity to visit also huge late gothic University Hall during poster sessions. The Hall is located very close to Oude Markt (PHOTO - the building with tall roof on the right side belongs to KU and it is adjacent to University Hall, and in the middle one can see the Belfry of Leuven - WHS!!!) and also to the world-famous Town Hall. Unfortunately, I could see the impresive Library only from outside - the building is really expansive and it is hard to believe that it is really a library.

Even though Leuven is nice and worth-visiting, I cannot see any OUV in its University. No building belonging to the University is truly exceptional, and I mean not only old buildings but also modern ones. Furthermore, there are already two other WHS in Leuven! The University town of Leuven lacks the monumentality of WHS Coimbra and the spirit/integrity of still-not-inscribed Cambridge&Oxford, and does not stand out when compared to other University towns in Europe like Gottingen, Tubingen, Lund, etc etc. Even the famous Town Hall is not such exceptional when compared to other similar buildings in Belgium such as much bigger structure in Brussels (WHS already).

Clyde

Malta - 05-Feb-13 -

A short trip from Brussels by car or train. Interesting university city but does not deserve WHS status IMHO.

Ian Cade

UK - 11-Mar-09 -

Whilst I am not sure if Leuven would add much to a World Heritage list that is already pretty full of nice European cities, this university town really has a lot to reward visitors. My fond memories owe a lot to the fact that I have made some great friends at the university, which is a really great seat of European learning. Even if you do not know students here the university is a very important part of the city. Many of its buildings are architectural highlights, especially the library. Secondly, and somewhat intangibly, the large amount of students give this city a great atmosphere.

The architectural highlight of the city is the Stadthuis, on the Groot Markt, which has to stand as one of the highlights of secular Gothic architecture. Its masses of statues and flags are really quite exceptional. Alkso on the square is one of the already inscribed Belfries. The wonderful Oude Markt is just around the corner and really is beautiful, and full to bursting point with bars and cafes.

Those that have been to Belgium would probably know of its Beer culture, nowhere is this better expressed than in Leuven. The large InBev Brewery on the outskirts is perhaps the most famous, but the great Domus brewery-pub is one of my favourites.

I really love Leuven but I am not sure if it would really add much to the World Heritage List, there are plenty of well preserved medium sized European cities on the list already. However I would thoroughly recommend a visit to see the magnificent Stadhuis as well as the best of Flanders’ Begijnhoofs.

One of my favourite European towns, it already has two sites inscribed on the list which is more than enough to warrant a visit.