The best city hikes and walks in Dunbergbroek (Hagelandse Vallei)

Follow the flow of the water...

The place to be for an opera or a classical music recital.

Very good restaurant in the table round.

Reading and drinking pints go hand in hand for Fonske...

Our Leuven resident, Fonske, has had a turbulent history. Initially, he wasn't very popular, even though he's supposed to represent the source of wisdom. But let's be honest: everyone associates the source ('fons') with the mind it's supposed to nourish, in a context of downing beers instead of wisdom. Originally, the statue was commissioned for the renovated Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogy, but the dean wasn't keen on that idea. So Fonske was given to the city. Initially, you could find him between what was then Fochplein and the Grote Markt. Now, Fochplein has completely changed, both in appearance and name. Marshal Foch has been replaced by Rector de Somer. And during the redevelopment, Fonske was briefly absent. This wasn't the only time construction work caused him to disappear. Even in his early years at Fochplein, Fonske wasn't universally loved. Yet, he gradually became more popular, sometimes dressed in all sorts of costumes, a bit like Manneken Pis in Brussels. The Men of the Year played a particularly important role in this. The worst adventure our Fons endured was a real kidnapping in 1979. Fortunately, our Fons was found again in Louvain-la-Neuve, home to the new French-speaking university of Leuven after the split. He was a bit damaged but thankfully could be repaired. You can also find a photo of Fonske at Place des Wallons in Louvain-la-Neuve at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fonske_louvain-la-neuve_place_des_wallons_1979.jpg

Our Leuven resident, Fonske, has had a turbulent history. Initially, he wasn't very popular, even though he's supposed to represent the source of wisdom. But let's be honest: everyone associates the source ('fons') with the mind it's supposed to nourish, in a context of downing beers instead of wisdom. Originally, the statue was commissioned for the renovated Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogy, but the dean wasn't keen on that idea. So Fonske was given to the city. Initially, you could find him between what was then Fochplein and the Grote Markt. Now, Fochplein has completely changed, both in appearance and name. Marshal Foch has been replaced by Rector de Somer. And during the redevelopment, Fonske was briefly absent. This wasn't the only time construction work caused him to disappear. Even in his early years at Fochplein, Fonske wasn't universally loved. Yet, he gradually became more popular, sometimes dressed in all sorts of costumes, a bit like Manneken Pis in Brussels. The Men of the Year played a particularly important role in this. The worst adventure our Fons endured was a real kidnapping in 1979. Fortunately, our Fons was found again in Louvain-la-Neuve, home to the new French-speaking university of Leuven after the split. He was a bit damaged but thankfully could be repaired. You can also find a photo of Fonske at Place des Wallons in Louvain-la-Neuve at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fonske_louvain-la-neuve_place_des_wallons_1979.jpg

Practical bridge. The gradient is comfortable. The approach lanes are wide enough for everyone to cross the railway at their own pace. At the top, you have a beautiful view of the trains coming and going.

The war fire of 1914 had almost completely destroyed the theatre. Reconstruction took place in two phases. The shell, which was entrusted to the renowned Brussels architect Alban Chambon, would not be completed until 1931. That same year, a competition was announced for the further completion and decoration of the building. The winner was the Ghent architect J. Van Den Hende, who enjoyed considerable freedom in redesigning the interior, not only in terms of the choice of materials and decorative themes, but also in the appointment of his assistants. He surrounded himself with numerous renowned artists, including the Brussels painters C. Montald and O. Dierickx, the painter-graphic artist M. Langaskens, and the Ghent sculptor G. Verbanck. During the reconstruction, the decision was made to restore the theatre largely to its original form. Lavergne's façade design from 1874 was largely respected, and the interior was lavishly decorated, particularly in the entrance area, the grand staircase, the foyer, and the auditorium layout. Stylistically and conceptually, the new Leuven theatre thus fully embraced the monumental and luxurious 19th-century theatre architecture, undoubtedly modeled on the renowned "Opéra de Paris" (1861-1875) by architect Ch. Garnier. Among the most important innovations, however, were the structural use of more fire-resistant materials, namely concrete and steel—instead of the previous wood—for the trusses of the auditorium, stage, and central dome, as well as for the stage equipment. Furthermore, the expansion of the upper balcony increased the auditorium's capacity to 1,100 seats. During bombings in 1944 and 1945, the building was partially damaged; repairs did not begin until 1952, under the direction of architect L. Mispelter. Inventory of Immovable Heritage: City Theatre, https://id.erfgoed.net/erfgoedobjecten/72671