BELGIUM 2016: Central Library of the Catholic University of Leuven

With this post, I do believe we've come to the end of our Leuven trip from last early December.  Though I didn't plan it this way, I may find it fortuitous to end it here because of what a place of learning represents for us all in this Journey we call Life.

Everything we read about Leuven said the University Library was a definite point of interest, totally worth the trip.  They were right.

This is the central library of the Catholic University of Leuven, established in 1636.

It was burned during both world wars but rebuilt afterwards in both cases.

The University of Leuven itself is the oldest catholic university still in existence in the world.

It has 55+K students.

I'm not sure what the significance is of the impaled beetle or the hot-air balloon sculpture.

But there was an exhibition on Utopia & More at the library while we were there.

In fact, look at these circular steps in the square in front of the library

(getting readied for Christmas with the big tree).  See the written words on the red bands?

Here's what the words said as I walked along to record them:
500 years ago Leuven University existed.
500 years ago the first cookbook in Dutch was published: a notable little cookery book.
500 years ago the Germans already had Christmas trees, but the Flemish did not.
500 years ago Pope Leo X's white elephant Hanno died.
500 years ago Flemish renaissance art was at its height.
500 years ago Utopia was printed in Leuven.

At that point, before going inside the library, we stopped to eat lunch on the corner nearby.
We were told us it was a favorite of students and alumnae.

You know by now how much we enjoy good Belgian beers,
to say nothing of the food, of course!

But the library beckoned!
Here's the outside entrance, with a model of the carillon tower.

With a tour of the library we used the audio guide to find the points of interest.

But it was the library itself that totally sold me.

I quickly left the first floor and climbed to the surrounding balcony
 to be less obstructive with my photography.

I kept thinking of my before-her-time mother who ate up university campuses.
She was a graduate of Smith College and received her Masters at Columbia University in the 30's.
THAT kind of woman before her time!  We kids called her a professional student.

She would have loved this library.  I saw it through her eyes.

As we left the library and walked back to Leuven's market square,
we realized once again why this city in Belgium, 16 miles east of Brussels, is so well-loved.
It's even the headquarter's of the Stella Artois pilsner lager.

How can you say NO to any of that!
But now, finally, we can say Good Bye.

BELGIUM 2016: Leuven's Market Square

I know, I know.  Just when you thought I'd finished it, here it is again.  But seriously, did you notice that I showed everything except Leuven itself????  So, of course I need to end that early December trip with the one city we went to see:  Leuven.

It was the main market square we wanted to see because of the 3 landmarks facing each other: 

St.Peter's Church, the Town Hall, and The Fourth/Tafelrond Hotel.

Where to start?  It was our first day and we wanted to see it all!

Though it was Sunday, we grabbed the church first, not knowing when it would close that afternoon.

St. Peter's Church is a Gothic church from the 15th century.

Notice the golden bell ringer near the top!

As large churches go, this one was light and elegant on a sunny day.

There were the statues, of course, but not inordinately so for a Roman Catholic church.

I was more taken by the placements throughout of votive candles for prayers...

...and was particularly moved by this alcove.

The oak pulpit was transferred to this church from the abbey in Ninove, 68 km away.

You know I'm going to say it:  I wonder what Preacher Dad would think of it!

It so happens that after touring the church, we immediately crossed the square to see the Town Hall,

and discovered we could catch a tour of it in 5 minutes, which we did.

We don't normally take such tours because we're both inclined to wander off on our own,

knowing we can get the added information from the internet, right?

However, the only way to see inside this town hall is to take the tour.

So we decided to do it.

Like the church, this Town Hall is Gothic and built at the same time, in the 15th century.

Upon entering, this is what you see.

And then, wandering throughout, we saw all the "usual suspects" of town halls.
So much history, all related to Leuven itself.

But what I most wanted to see was the wedding chamber.

In Belgium, as in the Netherlands, marriage is made official at the town hall, in the wedding room.

Can you imagine sitting around that table for your marriage ceremony!

On that note, it was time for our main meal of the day, somewhere on the square.

When we finished eating and walked back outside, it was a fairyland.

Remember that this was the end of November, getting ready for the Christmas holiday.

The Town Hall and The Fourth/Tafelrond Hotel took on new personas all lit up,

the Town Hall being the greatest spectacle of all, changing every few seconds.

But the church across the square stood stalwart against time and change,

ready to ring its bell on the hours as they passed us by.

It made a good impression on us at the start of our Sunday - Friday mini vacation.

One last post coming up, God willing and the creek don't rise, is another Leuven landmark:
 the University Library.

BELGIUM 2016: Two Abbeys

Not that we planned it, mind you, but we really did see two Christmas markets, two basilicas, and two abbeys on our trip to Leuven, Belgium, a month ago.  All in the space of 5 days.

There are actually 4 abbeys in Leuven and, after some wee research, we picked one of them to visit.  While there, we discovered nothing was open for visitors but were directed to another one 33 km away.  That's how we ended up visiting two!

1.  Park Abbey, Leuven, Belgium, founded in 1129.

We chose Park Abbey because of its 104 acres of "contemplation, tranquility, and silence."

In fact, we first walked around the complex, viewing the abbey from across the fish pond.

It was a frosty, nippy morning, perfect for "contemplation, tranquility, and silence."

The entrance into the abbey complex is an invitation.

St. Norbert's Gate, next to the cemetery, beckoned us towards the church...

which rises above the complex...but, sadly, which wasn't open that day.

So, because we love cemeteries, we chose not to be disappointed.

We learn a lot about a people and culture by wandering their cemeteries.

65% of Belgium is Christian, with 58% of them Roman Catholic.

"Holy Mary, Mother of God."

It was after the cemetery when we met the lady who told us about another abbey we'd surely like 

which has a lovely café and gift shop, only 33 km. away.  So off we went.

2.  Averbode Abbey, Diest, Belgium, founded in 1134.

From where we parked, we had to walk through a lovely forest to reach the abbey. 

It really was a day for "contemplation, tranquility, and silence."

Another entrance...another invitation.

And once inside the complex, there was the church, finished in 1672!

I always wonder what my preacher dad would think if this were his parish,

complete with sundial.

This time the church was open.

And as so often happens, we had to pass through the choir to reach the altar.

If you ever sang in the church choir (as I did), can you imagine singing here?
My mother was my church choir director...so I wonder what she would think of this.

Or having two organs for accompaniment (both of which she could play, I'm sure)?

Impressions.  Impressions.  Impressions.

We even spotted a trompe-lóeil painting (top-left).

After the church (no cemetery was visible but surely there was one?), 

were walked outside the complex around the perimeter to find the gift shop and café.
But it was not our day for that because it was Monday, and both were closed.

However, we still got the best of both worlds at two different abbeys in Belgium:

a cemetery and an abbey church.  What more could we possibly need!