John Bunyan

The two half-relief figures of  wolves above the gateway are the only remainders of this edifice. The right-hand wall runs steeply up toward the Naamestraat to a ruin that is accesible via an outside staircase. The gateway appears to be an archway, but it was probably a wall tower in which a passageway to the outside was later added. According to the history writer Edward Van Even, the figures of the wolves may be remainders of a Viking altar.*

*From Out and About in Leuven walks leaflet

A fountain with 9 jets of water is at the centre of the garden. The stairs that lead to the garden are decorated with reliefs of Oscar Jespers, Charles Leplae and Rik Poot. The rows of trees lead towards the statue of King Albert I on his horse below. On the right, little fountains and a small playground for children. The garden is a link between the old town and the royal library Albert I, the Royal Museums of Fine art of Belgium, the royal Film library and the museum of Cinema (Cinematek), the memorial for King Baudouin…

“May you spend many years at Maredsous in the supreme comfort of soul that is given, to natures touched by grace, by faith in God’s infinite power and confidence in His goodness.”
— from a letter written by Albert I, King of the Belgians to his former tutor, General De Grunne, after the general retired to the Benedictine monastery at Maredsous, Belgium

At the base of the monumental staircase leading to the garden of the Mont des Arts (Kunstberg in Flemish) stands an equestrian bronze of Albert I, King of the Belgians from 1909 to 1934.

Designed by Alfred Courtens (1889-1967), it was unveiled in 1951. Mont des Arts is dedicated to the memory of Albert I, known as the “soldier king,” one of Belgium’s most popular monarchs.

Thomas Traherne

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.

]]> http://www.cheriesplace.me.uk/blog/index.php/2015/08/19/martyrs-square/feed/ 8 http://www.cheriesplace.me.uk/blog/index.php/2015/08/18/st-pieterskerk/ http://www.cheriesplace.me.uk/blog/index.php/2015/08/18/st-pieterskerk/#comments Tue, 18 Aug 2015 21:43:20 +0000 CherryPie http://www.cheriesplace.me.uk/blog/?p=16049

The building of St-Pieterskerk (St Peter’s Church) commenced in the 1420s and continued for 200 years.

The nave and aisles were completed first, but when the twin towers of the western facade were finally added in 1507, the foundations proved inadequate and it soon began to sink. With money in short supply, it was decided to remove the top sections of the towers – hence the truncated versions of today.

Inside the church, the sweeping lines of the nave are intercepted by an impressive 1499 rood screen and Baroque wooden pulpit depicting the conversion of St Norbert. Norbert was a wealthy but irreligious German noble, who was hit by lightening while riding. His horse died, but he was unhurt and this led him to devote himself to the church.*

The church was severely damaged in both world wars. In 1914 the roof was burned off and in 1944 the north transept was bombed.  The church is currently undergoing repair work and part of it shrouded in scaffolding and inaccessible.

*From the Eyewitness Travel Guide to Belgium and Luxembourg