Leuven

In the middle of Belgium's central province of Flemish Brabant lies Leuven, or Louvain, the capital of the region. About 100,000 inhabitants live in the city, which is nationally recognized as a university city. Over 50,000 students attend the local Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, ensuring a younger-than-average population within Leuven. The city's renowned university was founded in the early 15th century. Leuven has had an eventful history; in the 18th and 19th centuries, the settlement in the heart of what is now Belgium was temporarily under French and Dutch rule. The city's central attraction is the historic town hall, whose late Gothic facades were built as early as the 15th century. Directly on the Grote Markt, in addition to the city hall, other photogenic Gothic buildings can be discovered - the Sint Pieterskirche and the Tafelrond. With the Museum M, Leuven also has a modern art gallery with historical art from the 15th to 18th centuries. Among the most beautiful buildings of the local university are the library and the ornate Arenberg Castle.