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Louvain

  (lū-văN') pronunciation also Leuven ('vən)

A city of central Belgium east of Brussels. First mentioned in the 9th century, it was a center of the wool trade in the Middle Ages but declined in the late 14th century because of civil strife. Its famed university dates from the 15th century. Population: 91,900.

 

 
 
(lūväN') , Du. Leuven, city (1991 pop. 85,018), Flemish Brabant prov., central Belgium, on the Dijle River. It is a commercial, industrial, and cultural center, as well as a rail junction. Mentioned in the 9th cent., Louvain was a center of the wool trade and of the cloth industry in the Middle Ages. For a time it was the capital of the duchy of Brabant, and in 1356 the Joyeuse Entrée, a charter of liberties, was granted there. In the 14th cent., strife between the nobles and the weavers was prevalent; after the nobles gained authority most of the weavers emigrated to Holland and England, and the city declined. In 1426, Duke John IV of Brabant founded a Roman Catholic university. Its library was destroyed by the Germans in World Wars I and II, but was rebuilt after each. In 1968, as a result of a long-standing dispute between Dutch- and French-speaking sectors, the university was divided into two autonomous units. The Dutch-speaking Universiteit de Leuven remained in Louvain, and the French-speaking Université Catholique de Louvain was established at Ottignies. Among the noted buildings of Louvain are the Gothic city hall (15th cent.; damaged in both world wars); the 14th-century Cloth Workers' Hall, and several medieval churches.


 
Wikipedia: Leuven
Municipal flag Leuven
Leuven Town Hall.
 
Location on map of Belgium
Coat of arms Location of Leuven in Flemish Brabant
Geography
Country Flag_of_Belgium_(civil).svg Belgium
Community Flemish Community of Belgium flag Flemish Community
Region Flemish Region flag Flemish Region
Province Flemish_Brabant_Flag.png 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 Sound listen? (Dutch Leuven, English Louvain, French Louvain, 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 (English and French) Wavre, (Dutch) Waver.

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.

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 Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (K.U.Leuven, or Catholic University Leuven) in 1425.

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

Sights

The Town Hall.
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The Town Hall.
Fonske.
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Fonske.
The University Library.
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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.

Miscellany

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 are also a number of hogescholen (Vocational university, literally translated: "high schools"). These hogescholen include Katholieke Hogeschool Leuven (Catholic High School Leuven) and Groep T (Group T).

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 fraction in the lower chamber of the Belgian parliament, among other things.

Relations with other cities

Leuven is twinned with

Besides these twin cities, Leuven has friendly relations with other cities in the world, such as

Leuven has also "adopted" Cristian (Romania) since 1989.

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.

Famous inhabitants

Born in Leuven

Great Beguinage
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Great Beguinage

Lived in Leuven

References

  1. ^ http://www.library.ucla.edu/yrl/reference/maps/blaeu/germania-inferior-nt.htm#prima_brabantiae

External links

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Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Leuven" Read more

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