Leuven Hostel de Blauwput
The Leuven hostel, an attraction itself,
an old school renovated into a modern youth hostel with a cosy
patio, is situated in arguably the prettiest city in Belgium. Loads of historical buildings, an amazing city hall, a "beguinage" unlike anything you have ever seen before ...
Leuven (French Louvain, German Löwen) is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in Flanders, Belgium. The municipality comprises the historical city of Leuven and the adjacent villages of Heverlee, Kessel-Lo, a part of Korbeek-Lo, Wilsele and
Wijgmaal. The Town Hall, built by Sulpitius van Vorst, Jan II Keldermans, and, after both of them died, Matheus de Layens between 1439 and 1463 in a Brabantian late-Gothic style. The reception hall dates from 1750. The St. Peter's Church (1425–1500) was finished by Jan Keldermans and Matheus de Layens. During the Second World War the church was damaged; during the restoration a Romanesque crypt from the 11th Century was found. In the church itself there are several paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries (amongst others Dirk Bouts famous painting of the last supper and the grave of Duke Henry I of Brabant. The 50 meter high tower—which was meant to be 169 meters but was never completed—is home to a carillon. The tower was included in UNESCO's list of "Belfries of Belgium and France" in 1999.
"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.
