Heritage Tours KU Leuven

For many centuries, this has been the headquarters of KU Leuven. A guide will take you through the beautiful Rector’s Salons, the impressive Promotion Hall, and up to the top floor for a panoramic view of Leuven.

With its beautiful chapel, library and winter garden, this is definitely one of the most beautiful and best-preserved old colleges of KU Leuven.

Visit the nicely decorated salons of this monumental castle, set in the middle of a beautiful park. For many centuries the castle was the home of noblemen, today it is mainly visited by students and university staff.

Ready to discover six centuries of history? Take a guided tour of the historic centre in English.

Hidden behind a high wall along Willem de Croylaan in Heverlee lies another gem of the university’s heritage. It was built in the first half of the 16th century as a Celestine monastery, but transformed at the beginning of the 21st century by renowned Spanish architect Rafael Moneo into a high-tech library of KU Leuven’s Science, Engineering & Technology Group.
 

Hidden in a small park lies the old Carthusian monastery of Leuven, which, after an extensive renovation and the addition of a new building a few years ago, has been transformed into KartHuis, a multidisciplinary centre for vulnerable children and their families.

Viscount Charles Victor de Lovenjoul, who died childless, bequeathed a magnificent art collection to the university of Leuven. A guide will be happy to show you the beautiful family portraits, still lifes, writing cabinets and other fine pieces from this collection, which can be admired in the former refectory of Holy Ghost College.

A large hall houses an impressive collection of steam engines, jet engines and other electrical equipment, which in the past served to teach engineering students. Visit this unique example of industrial academic heritage with a guide.

Glass jars with animals in formaldehyde, animal skeletons and stuffed animals - you can find it all in the university's zoological collections. A guide will be happy to tell you about the history of the museum and about some remarkable collection pieces, such as the giant whale skeleton that floats above the display cases.