Page 167 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Belgium & Luxembourg

ANT WERP, FLEMISH BR ABANT ANDD LIMBURG  165

15th-century life in Flanders. lovely version of the Holy Trinity VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
Although he was born in the by the famed artist, Rogier van
Netherlands, Dirk Bouts spent der Weyden (see p106). Practical Information
most of his work ing life in Leuven, 64 km (40 miles) SE of Antwerp.
where he won himself a position R University Library Road Map D2. * 97,300.
as the town’s official artist. Monseigneur Ladeuzeplein 21. n Naamsestraat 3; (016) 203020.
Tel (016) 203020 Open 10am–5pm ( Christmas Markt (10 days in
E M-Museum Leuven Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat & Sun; 1pm–5pm Dec). ∑ leuven.be
Leopold Vanderkelenstraat 28. Tue & Thu. & ∑ bib.kuleuven.be Transport
Tel (016) 272929. Open 11am–6pm Risen from the ashes of World £ Bondgenoten laan. @ 20, 50.
Tue–Sun, 11am–10pm Thu. & War I and World War II, this
∑ mleuven.be imposing Renaissance-style
The former Museum Vander palace was rebuilt twice as “a complex of 72 charming red-
Kelen-Mertens was revamped as cathedral of knowledge”, with brick cottages, dating mostly
M in 2009 to provide a dynamic more than 1.5 million books from the 17th century, is set
space for high-profile tem po rary stored over five floors. A photo- around grassy squares and
art exhibi tions and under line graphic exhibition details the cobbled streets near the River
Leuven’s claim to be a major city history of the library, and the Dijle. The university in Leuven
of the arts. The original collection Great Reading Room is worth a bought it in 1962 and converted
still remains in the 17th–18th visit. Visitors can also climb the the cottages into student
century mansion, owned by the 300 steps of the library tower to accommodation which can be
Vander Kelen-Mertens family the balcony from which there is viewed from outside.
until it was donated to the city a panoramic view of the city.
in 1918. The rooms were The ILuvLeuven combi ticket
refur bished in a variety of allows entry to the University
histori cal styles, ranging from a Library and Tower, as well as to
Renaissance salon to a Rococo the Stadhuis, M-Museum
dining room, each with the Leuven and the Treasury of
appro priate antique furni ture, St-Pieterskerk.
silver ware and ceramics.
Much of the art on perma nent R Groot Begijnhof
display is by the early Flemish Schapenstraat.
Masters, inclu ding Quentin Founded around 1230, the
Metsys (1466–1530), who was Groot Begijnhof was once one
born in Leuven and is noted for of the largest béguinages in
introducing Italian style to north- Belgium and home to several The 17th-century red-brick houses of
ern European art. It also houses a hundred béguines (see p65). The Leuven’s Groot Begijnhof

Leuven 0 metres 200
1 Oude Markt 0 yards 200
SCHRIJNMAKER STRAAT
2 Stadhuis Stella Artois Brewery
1.5 km (1 mile)
3 St-Pieterskerk and MECHELSE STR SMOLDERSPLEIN
Museum FRANZ TIELEMANSIAAN DIRK BOUTSLAAN Justitiepaleis
Schatkamer van AMER IKALA A N Train Station
DIETSSESTRAAT
St Pieter BRUSSE MARGARETHA 650 m (700 yards)
PLEIN
4 M-Museum Dijle St-Pieterskerk
and Museum
Schatkamer
TENLAAN
Leuven van St Pieter FOCHPLEIN BONDGENO- Bus Station
5 University MARKT 650 m (700 yards)
GROTE
Library ST-BARBARA STR WIERING STR LSESTRAA T Stadhuis BOEK H A NDEL STR EIKSTRAAT SAVOYESTRAA T MONSEIGNEUR
DRIN KWATERS TRAAT
M-Museum
LADEUZPLEIN
Leuven
RATTEMANSPOORT
PA R I J S S T R A AT MARKT ZEEL STR MUNTSTRAAT HANENGANG University
Katholieke
OUDE
Leuven
LEOPOLD VANDERKELENSTR LEOPOLD VANDERKELENSTRAAT
Universiteit LANKENWEVER STR
KRAKEN STR
HERBERT Library
HOOVERPLEIN
ALFONS SMETS
T I E N S E S T R A A T
N A A M S E S T R A AT
STANDONCK STR
Groot COLLEGEBERGE PLEIN
Begijnhof
530 m (580 yards) H O G E S C H O O L P L E I N
ST-ANTONIUSBERG St-Michielskerk C H A R L E S D E B E R I O T S T R A AT
For keys to symbols see back flap
164-165_EW_Belgium.indd 165 18/10/16 2:57 pm