Luvanium (latin form for Loven,
Lo - ven, "the marsh near the forest") is first mentioned in 891, when a battle occured there between a Viking and a Frankish army led by Arnulf of Carinthia.
Battle of Louvain (891) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The arms of the city, red and white, symbolize this battle where the Vikings were defeated by the Franks on the shores of the river Dyle (red = blod stained shores)
The city, located in the Duchy of Brabant, was very prosperous between the XI and XIVth centuries thanks to its cloth factories.
During the XIIIth century, a beguinage was founded. Today, it is "one of the world's best remaining examples of its architectural type", and is on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites.
Grand Béguinage, Leuven - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 
The béguinage
In 1336, the Artois brewery was founded. It became Interbrew and is now called InBev, and is the largest brewery in the world
InBev - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In 1425, the university of Leuven was founded. It is the oldest catholic university in the world. Among the people who've been there, the most famous were probably Vesalius, Erasmus and Mercator.
Unfortunately, its library has been totally burned down by the Germans in 1914, because of their "schrecklichkeit" policy:
"In the 20th century, both world wars inflicted major damage to the city. Upon German entry in WW1, the town was heavily damaged due to German Schrecklichkeit policy. The Germans shot the burgomaster, university rector and all the city's police officers.[2] The university library was deliberately destroyed by the German army on August 25, 1914, using petrol and incendiary pastilles. Hundreds of thousands of irreplaceable volumes and Gothic and Renaissance manuscripts were lost." "The fire destroyed not only a large part of the cultural patromonium of the medieval city, but it also caused the loss of countless and irreplacable historical manuscripts and books, many dating back centuries.
This act of violence caused uproar througout the world and several, mostly American, charities were established to compensate the loss, so in 1921 work was began to build a new library, on the square now known as Ladeuzeplein. The new building also contains one of the largest carillons in Europe, it was created and offered as a gift in 1928, by US engineers as a monument of remembrance for all colleagues who lost their lifes during World War I. The carillon originally contained 48 bells, that being the number of states in the Union at the time of the gift. The main bell, which rings evey hour on the hour, is named the Liberty Bell of Louvain and the fourth largest clock contains an inscription calling for world peace.
In May 1940, at the start of World War II, the German occuppiers again destroyed, almost completely, the (new) University Library. After the war the building was reconstructed almost completely along the original plans. After a substantial renovation from 1999 - 2003 the exterior, carillon and the roof structure are once again restored to their former beauty and dominate the square's outlook." Schrecklichkeit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Katholieke Universiteit Leuven - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 
Today's library, a gift from the USA
In 1425 too, the construction of the St. Peter's church (Sint-Pieterskerk) started. It was planned to build three colossal towers summounted by a spire (that would have been 170 meters high and thus the world's tallest structure at that time) but the project was abandoned in 1541 because of insufficient funds and ground stability. It was partially destroyed during both world wars.
St. Peter's Church, Leuven - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Hooggotiek Brabantse gotiek Sint-Pieterskerk LEUVEN architectuur foto (architectuurfoto) 
The gothic town hall was built in 1448 and is considered as one of the most beautiful in the Low Countries. It was damaged during both world wars.
Leuven Town Hall - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://www.belgiumview.com/belgiumvi...,%205&vanview= 
Re: Luvanium 
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