Situated in Martyr’s Square next to Levuen railway station is the Peace Monument which was constructed in 1925 in remembrance of the victims of WWI.
In August 1914 the German troops burned down a large part of the old city centre, including the university library and the roof of the Saint Peter’s Church. Besides that, the Germans also executed a lot of civilians. This massacre was world news.
To remember this and all the people that died during the war this Peace Monument (Vredesmonument) was constructed in 1925 and renovated in 2004 after the renovation of the entire square. In the top of the pillar there are red little windows that are lit at night, as a link to the fire that devastated the centre.
Leuven also suffered greatly during WWII. Levuen station was bombed heavily during the period of the war. The effects of this can still be seen today, earlier this year the station and the surrounding area were evacuated when an unexploded WWII bomb was exposed during excavation works.
After the discovery of an unexploded Second World War bomb yesterday during excavation works along the Eenmeilaan in Kessel-Lo, Leuven’s train station and station square were evacuated, report Belgian rail infrastructure manager Infrabel, the Leuven police and Belgian rail company SNCB.
From 14:30, the Leuven station and Martelarenplein in front of it were fully evacuated and all train traffic was brought to a halt in order to allow for the Demining Service of the Belgian Defence (Dovo) to dismantle the bomb.
Leuven police also carried out the evacuation of homes within an 800-metre radius around the site of the find. The dismantling of the bomb – a British thousand-pounder (453.6kg) – started yesterday at 15.00.
