Like so many other inhabitants of Leuven I came here to study at the university and decided to stay. Why? Because the city of Leuven has everything on offer I need: a cosy historical centre with nice buildings and charming corners, a fascinating history and lots of stories to discover.
And then there is KU Leuven. Leuven’s university is almost 600 years old, and a rich source of stories. About a whale and an unused telescope in the city centre. About the library that was burned down twice. About the anatomist Andreas Vesalius who stole a corpse from the gallows and cut it into pieces to smuggle it into the city. About the biggest banana collection in the world. About students living and working in Leuven. Have I convinced you that I’m passionate about everything concerning the past and present of the University of Leuven ?
I’ll gladly tell you everything about it on a walk through the city. Because, first and foremost, I am a storyteller. Pick your favourite theme !
The City and the University
We will walk through the city in search of Leuvens ‘Big Five’: University hall, Town hall, St Peter’s Church, University library and beguinage. Wherever we go, we will find that the history of Leuven and the university are intimately intertwined.
Meet the Scientists
We will meet famous and unknown scientists that have ties with the university. You may know Andreas Vesalius or Gerard Mercator. You have probably never heard about Pieter De Somer or Jan Stas. The one thing they have in common is that each has a fascinating story.
In the footsteps of Georges Lemaître
Not many people know Georges Lemaître but I’m convinced he deserves to be famous. I’ll make my case while we follow his daily walk through Leuven. One teaser: The Big Bang theory was invented in Leuven – by a priest.
