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GynSurgery - OLS - Oxford Leuven Surgery - Curriculum Vitae gynsurgery.org | EuSEM - Club of Leuven eusem.org | multiple congenital anomalies: the Leuven... ichg2006.com |
Leuven (Dutch, pronounced The township comprises the historical city of Leuven and the former municipalities of Heverlee, Kessel-Lo, a part of Korbeek-Lo, Wilsele and Wijgmaal. It is home to Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewing group and one of the top five largest consumer goods companies in the world; and to the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, the largest and oldest university of the Low Countries and the oldest Catholic university still in existence.
[edit] History The earliest mention of Leuven ("Loven") is from 891 when a Viking army was defeated by the Frankish king Arnulf of Carinthia (see: Battle of Leuven). According to the city legend, its red-white-red colours depict the blood-stained shores of the river Dijle after this battle. Situated at this river and nearby the stronghold of the Dukes of Brabant, Leuven became the most important centre of trade in the duchy between the 11th and the 14th century. A token of its former importance as a centre of cloth manufacture, is nicely reflected in the typical Leuven linen cloth, known in late 14th-15th century texts as lewyn (other spellings: Leuwyn, Levyne, Lewan(e), Lovanium, Louvain)[1]. In the 15th century a new golden era began with the founding of the Catholic University of Leuven, in 1425: it is now the largest and oldest university in the Low Countries.  In the 18th century Leuven became even more important as a result of the flourishing of the brewery now named InBev. In the 19th century the city became an industrial but also an intellectual centre. Around 1885-1890 the economical crisis forced hundreds of citizans to emigrate to Latin America (Argentina), the USA and Canada. On November 13, 1895 films were projected by Charles Moisson, an engineer working for the french Lumière brothers. He used their latest invention the cinematograph. The projection was held at the Catholic University of Leuven for an association of industrialists, scientists and photographs, it was the second one ever projected outside France at that time. In the same periode the Kinetoscope and the Kinetophone from Thomas Alva Edison came also to this city. In the coming years films were brought by travelling showmen at the fairs and the annual city feasts, in the local music hall and in halls. Between 1908 and 1914 there were about ten cinemahalls active in the city which counted about 40.000 inhabitants. Among these halls was also from 1912 on a special one dedicated to the Kinemacolor films.[2]. In the 20th century, both World Wars inflicted major damage to the city. Upon German entry in World War I, the town was heavily damaged due to the German Schrecklichkeit policy. The Germans shot the mayor, university rector and all the city's police officers.[3][4] 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.[5] The world was outraged over this and the library was completely rebuilt after World War I with American charity funds and German war indemnities. Thousands of its citizens fled to the countryside, to other cities but also to the Netherlands, England and France. A number of them were also deported by the Germans to Germany. The sack of Leuven became a element in the propaganda war. One of the films, The German Occupation of Historic Louvain was produced September 20, 1914. The film was shown world wide i.e. the Netherlands, Costa Rica, Canada and France.[6] After World War II, the burnt down University library had to be restored again.[7] It still stands as a symbol of the wars and of Allied solidarity. [edit] EconomyGiven the presence of the KULeuven, an important European institution for academic research and education, much of the local economy is concentrated on spin-offs from academic research (primarily at Arenberg Research-Park and Haasrode Research-Park). There are several biotech, ICT and hightech companies located in the proximity of the university, such as the micro- and nanoelectronics research center IMEC, the biopharmaceutical company Thrombogenics, and wireless technology company Option N.V.. Additionally, Gasthuisberg is a renowned academic hospital and research center. There is a large number of private service providers in the medical and legal field as well. Being the capital of the region of Flemish-Brabant means that there are many governmental institutions located in Leuven as well as the regional headquarters of corporations for public transport such as De Lijn. As the largest and one of the oldest cities in the immediate Flemish vicinity Leuven, with a large palate of cafés, restaurants, cultural institutions and shopping neighbourhoods, the city also attracts people from nearby cities and villages. Leuven is also the worldwide headquarters of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the largest beer company in the world. In fact, InBev's Stella Artois brewery and main offices dominate the entire north-eastern part of the town, between the railway station and the canal to Mechelen. [edit] Population[edit] Student populationNowadays Leuven is a real "student city", as during the academic year most citizens in its centre are students. Leuven sports one of the liveliest bar scenes in Belgium. Besides boasting the "longest bar" in Belgium, the Old Market, dozens of bars and cafés crammed into a central square in Leuven ("Oudemarkt"), it's also the proud home city of Belgium's smallest bar, Onder den Toog in the Noormannenstraat[citation needed]. The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (K.U.Leuven; Catholic University of Leuven) is the oldest Catholic university still in existence in the world and the biggest university in Belgium. There are also a number of hogescholen (Vocational university, literally translated: "high schools") such as the Katholieke Hogeschool Leuven (KHLeuven; the Catholic High School Leuven), as well as a university college: Groep T (Group T). [edit] Politics[edit] MayorThe mayor of Leuven is currently Louis Tobback, a socialist politician prominent on the national level, formerly minister of internal affairs and leader of the socialist faction in the lower chamber of the Belgian parliament, among other positions held. [edit] CultureIn September 2009, the refurbished art museum re-opened under the new name: M Museum.[8] The opening exhibition was devoted to Rogier van der Weyden and his circle.[9] One of Belgium's finest conservatories is based in Leuven: the Lemmens Institute, which is described as "Faculty of Music, Performing Arts and Education". It is known for its Music Therapy Education and its Wordart-Drama Education. In Leuven is the glass factory of Belgian glass manufacturer Theys & Miseur. The studio is well known all over the world for making high-quality glass art. Leuven is well known for its summer rock festival Marktrock. The main football club of the municipality is Oud-Heverlee Leuven, the successor of K. Stade Leuven. Leuven also has some orchestras, like the famous Arenberg Orchestra (Dutch). In 1996 the Afrika Filmfestival in Leuven was launched by a group of volunteers, specialists in African cinema, who are represented by the association Film & Cultuurpromotie vzw. This festival works with the university, local, national and international organisations and associations and wants to assure cultural diversity in the city and to foster sustainable development towards the African artists, actors and filmmakers. It runs traditionally in the last two weeks of April. The festival is known for its special contacts with the cinema world of DRCongo, Rwanda, Burundi, South Africa and Mozambique. The Afrika filmfestival has also a decentralized programmation in a number of cities and villages in Brussels, Flemish Brabant, Limburg, Antwerp and East Flanders. Every year, the festival supports or puts into the normal film distribution for the Benelux African films, which is an essential policy to guarantee cultural diversity and sustainable developmenent. www.afrikafilmfestival.be [edit] Sights  
[edit] Famous inhabitants[edit] Born in Leuven
[edit] Lived in Leuven
[edit] International relationsMain article: List of twin towns and sister cities in Belgium [edit] Twin towns — Sister citiesLeuven is twinned with: [edit] PartnershipsBesides these, Leuven has partnerships with: [edit] In pop cultureLeuven is mentioned in the song "Dirty Blue" by Woven Hand, a lyric that mentions "the bells of Leuven". [edit] References
[edit] External links
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