|
|
| |
BELGIUM
LEUVEN
With its five hundred year old university and its open campus the city of Leuven is infused with an unmistakably student-oriented character. The place is swarming with students, keen scholars and partygoers alike, the latter having taken over the longest bar in the world, as the locals have affectionately nicknamed the Old Square or Oude Markt with its selection of over 60 cafés. This university town on the banks of river Dyle is also endowed with a number of historic architectural landmarks, by far the most outstanding of which are Sint-Pieterskerk (Church of St Peter) and the imposing Stadhuis (town hall), on the Grote Markt.
Naamsestraat
Take a stroll down Naamsestraat towards Begijnhof, the pedestrian street is lined with various old buildings which perfectly portray the history of the five hundred year old university. These include the Lakenhalle (Drapers' Hall) , which temporarily houses the rectory, and a little further, Sint-Michielskerk (Church of St Michael) featuring one of the most monumental church façades in Belgium.
You will also come across a number of equally noteworthy colleges. Probably the most impressive of all landmarks bearing witness to the university's intellectual past is the perfectly refurbished Van Dale college.
 The Town Hall
Author: Toerisme Vlaanderen
Copyright © Toerisme Vlaanderen
Begijnhof
Leuven's Groot Begijnhof is among the most beautiful Beguine convents in Flanders. This site, totally free of traffic, has become a walker's paradise.
Abdij van Park
This magnificent architectural ensemble situated in Heverlee boasts a unique baroque church featuring a vast collection of paintings. The ceilings of its refectory and library are decorated with skilfully crafted bas-reliefs.
Summer festivals
Summer brings no respite to the city of beer which lives up fully to its reputation. Top events include the original Beleuvenissen (Leuven at its best) in July and the summer music festival Marktrock, which sets the Oude Markt and the surrounding area into full swing between August 13 and 15.
Library
The stately university library centrally located on Ladeuzeplein is a compelling attraction for book lovers. The building is also a silent witness to the dedication of the countless contributors who helped to restore Leuven to its former splendour in the aftermath of the ravages of World War I and World War II.
Information is Copyright © Toerisme Vlaanderen
| |
|
Festivals & Events
Jan Van Eyck and the Mediterranean World
24 March - June
The first exhibition dedicated to early Netherlandisch painting and its influence on the Southern European art scene of its days looks at works commissioned from Jan Van Eyck and other Flemish Primitives working abroad. Major works from all over Europe will be brought together in one of the finest museums in Bruges.
Brussel jubel park
Author: d. de Kievith
© Toerisme Vlaanderen
The Brueghel Enterprise
22. March - 23. June 2002
The exhibition will bring together about forty paintings by this artist who is well-known for having made an abundant number of copies after the works by his father Pieter Bruegel the Elder. The exhibition aims to juxtapose different versions of the same composition and to study and analyse them with state-of-the-art laboratory techniques.
It will be the first time ever that such an important number of versions is gathered. The exhibition is designed around four themes, each of them centred on a reference work: Census in Bethlehem, Winter Landscape with Bird Trap, The Adoration of the Magi in the Snow and The Farmer’s Advocate.
Brugge lace-maker
Author: d. de Kievith
© Toerisme Vlaanderen
Adriaan Brouwer Beer Festival
Yearly festival on the market square of the beautiful town of Oudenaarde.
Tel: (32-55) 31-7251
Brussel Grand Place
Author: d. de Kievith
© Toerisme Vlaanderen
Jazz Brugge 2002
August - 15-18
De Werf's European Jazz Festival is to be held alternating with the Middelheim festival, i.e. every second year.
Its venue will be the newly built, for the Brugge 2002 festivities, concert centre, a modern building with the largest stage in Belgium and capacity of 1400 seats.
Its emphasis will be on European jazz and artists.
There will be 3 to 4 groups per day, concerts starting around 15h and ending at 23h.
Brugge scenic view
Author: d. de. Kievith
© Toerisme Vlaanderen
Diamon Museum - Antwerp
Where the entire process of diamond mining and processing can be viewed.. Antwerp is the very centre of the world's diamond industry. More than 70% of the world's diamonds are cut, polished and traded here.
Brussel procession
Author: A. Koprianov
© Toerisme Vlaanderen
The Royal Greenhouses
April 19 - May 5
The Royal Greenhouses in Laeken cover six acres of neo-classical rotundas, domes and galleries. Twenty full time gardeners tend the giant ferns, fruit-bearing banana trees, grottoes, glades and grassy vistas. Highlights include the Azalea House, the rotunda, a colony of birds and the orange trees. Walkways are filled with climbing geraniums and fuschias, whose blossoms form an overhead canopy. The visit ends with a short walk through the Royal Park.
Brussel Grand'Place flowers
Author: J. J. Soenen
© Toerisme Vlaanderen
The Abbey of Villers-la-Ville
The Cistercian Abbey dates back to the 12th century. In the 19th century, a large number of artists, painters and writers, such as Victor Hugo, were attracted by the beauty of the majestic ruins, which are still sometimes used as a dramatic setting for French drama and classical concerts.
Oostende Mercator
Author: d. de Kievith
© Toerisme Vlaanderen
|
|
|
