In search of Mr. Cuddles | Route 1

Buggy Point Vaartkom

Vaartkom is one of two Buggy Points in Leuven. At the end of your walk, return your buggy here, or to the other Buggy Point under the Rector De Somerplein.

Vaartkom: de Kanaalgravers (statue)

The Leuvense Vaart was not always here. It was dug out by hand some 270 years ago by very strong men using shovels. The “De Kanaalgravers” statue is a reminder of these tough guys.

But it was Prince Charles of Lorraine who had the honour of digging out the very first shovel of earth. With a silver shovel no less. On 9 February 1750, the bells rang out. The cannons roared. And the city guards fired their muskets into the air when the prince solemnly deposited the first shovel of earth into a box.

That evening a fantastic party was organised on Grote Markt, including a theatre performance and an incredible firework display. The prince was invited to set off the fireworks. But it all went horribly wrong! The prince accidentally set his own wig on fire in the process and almost lost an eye!

The firework makers panicked and set off all the rockets at the same time. Some landed in the middle of the crowd. It was a disaster! And the Vaart filled with extinguishing water was far from ready...

Hunting den Pieter Janssens Victor Broosplein

You can climb inside this artwork of a hunting den. You don’t even have to sit still. You won’t spot many wild animals here. Apart from a few wild children that is. And the occasional city pigeon! With this artwork, Leuven artist Pieter Janssens asks whether hunters really do love nature as much as they always claim they do. The artist doesn’t think so. Bang!

De Hoorn Brewery

In this listed building dating back to 1923, the very first Stella Artois was brewed in 1926: the characteristic Leuven beer. Inside you can still see the huge brewing tanks. Beer is no longer brewed here these days. Nevertheless, De Hoorn is still a lively venue for parties and work.

Toilets/baby changing facilities

Green Leaf

Leuven won this important European award in 2018, because the city aims to serve as a model for sustainable development. - Er, sustainable what now? - Well, Leuven wants to make sure that there is enough for everyone, forever. The city brings Leuven residents together to combat global warming. This artwork also invites everyone to sit and play together. Climb, hang, jump, in 1-2-3: GO!

Sluismolen

The Sluisstraat used to be home to the Sluismolen, one of the oldest windmills in Leuven! The windmill is no longer there. But you can still see the remains of the lock.

Try turning the small wheel. It doesn’t move much nowadays. This was often the case in the past too though! It was due to a couple of angry millers. According to a rule passed in 1332, boats had to be able to sail across the river twice a day without fail. The water had to be deep enough for them to do so: nine feet, that was also the law! To create this depth, the lock withheld the water twice a day; once in the morning and once in the evening. During this time, a bell rang in St Gertrude’s Abbey. But when the water stopped flowing, the windmill stopped turning. This meant that the millers couldn’t get on with their work and it made them angry. That’s why they shut down the lock on more than one occasion. And as a result, the millers and the skippers often ended up quarrelling here.

Small Beguinage

Leuven has not just one, but two beguinages: small districts where beguines used to live until the 19th century.

Beguines were religious women. They didn’t marry or have any sweethearts. Just like sisters and nuns, they promised to be “pure” and “good”. But, in contrast to sisters and nuns, beguines did not promise it for ever and ever. They were also allowed to have possessions and their own home. Sisters and nuns promised to live a life of poverty as well.

This is the Small or Old Beguinage. It is smaller than the Great Beguinage, but not older! It just wasn’t as wealthy. The little houses deteriorated more quickly. That’s why this beguinage looked “old” sooner.

Katelijnehofje: old shoe factory

The well-hidden Katelijnehofje used to be the inner courtyard of a shoemaker’s premises. In the shop window there was always a shoe in a bowl of water. This gave shoemaker Guillaume Wanet his nickname: ‘the waterproof’.

Every Sunday morning, Wanet travelled to Brussels to deliver his shoes there and buy new raw materials. In the afternoon, he often went out on the town with friends and colleagues. Sometimes he returned home on Sunday evening, but he often stayed in the capital until Monday or Tuesday, to work day and night again until the following Sunday.

Saint Gertrude’s Abbey

In the inner courtyard of St Gertrude’s Abbey, you can see façades that appear to be of some rather chic houses. A hundred years ago, the young ladies who studied at the university still lived behind these walls. But take another look. If you look closely at the chic façades you can make out debris from other, older houses: doorsteps, window frames, and different types of marble and stone, etc.

The abbey was built in the 12th century. But it was destroyed in WWI. Professor Armand Thiéry provided for a new west wing: the Thiéry wing. He constructed it out of debris from houses that had been bombarded to pieces. Nice and economical.

Vismarkt

In the past, the Vismarkt was situated beside an inner harbour. The water came up to here! Ships headed to this site carrying saltwater fish, salt and wool and left again loaded with grain, wood, wine and later also beer.

The water has retreated. But if you look carefully, you can still find some evidence of the watery past. The street between the Vismarkt and the Vaartstraat is called “Vissersstraat” (Fishers’ street). And look at the plaques above some of the houses on the south side: “de Vischbank” (the Fish Stall), “In de Dry Schepen” (In the Three Ships) and “De Drye Heringen” (The Three herrings). To the left of Busleidengang there is a house called “Sint-Andries”. This saint brought the fishermen good luck. Can you find the fish in the façade: two in the entrance and two pairs of fish a little lower down?

Of course, real fish were also sold on the Vismarkt.

Fishmongers had to follow strict rules. Fishermen from outside Leuven even more so than those from the inner city... A lot of lying and cheating went on to get around the rules and ended in a quarrel more than once.

Here are some of the rules:

• Only fishermen and butchers from Leuven could sell saltwater fish. On the fish stall. All week long.
• Fishermen from outside the city sold freshwater fish or “green fish”. In barrels. Only on Monday and Friday.
• A trading family was also only allowed to sell one type of fish. Either saltwater fish or freshwater fish.
• Saltwater fishmongers could also sell oysters. Only on the fish stall in the market.
• All fishermen were allowed to sell shrimp, crab, lobster, winkles, dried fish and salted cod. Throughout the city.
• Anyone could sell mussels. But this was only allowed on the Vismarkt before 11 a.m. It was also permitted elsewhere in the city after 11 a.m.
• Women were not allowed to be fishermen. They were only allowed to gut the fish and help out behind the fish stall, or help sell herring, salted cod, mussels and shrimp.

The Dyle terraces with Fiere Margriet

The inviting wooden terraces on the banks of the Dyle are the perfect place to pause or have a picnic. Stretch out beside Fiere Margriet, one of Leuven’s most famous statues, well, reclining statues that is (Willy Meysmans, 1982). There are several versions of this naked lady’s story. But it ends badly for her in every one. According to one version, the robbers kidnapped and murdered little Margriet! The villains dumped her body in the water. But fish carried Margriet’s body upstream as if by a miracle, while a strange light shone down on her. This is how the Duke of Brabant found out about the crime and pursued the villains.

Truth or fantasy? Who can say? But take another look at the statue... Is Margriet’s hair flowing with or against the current? And, uh... How can that be?

Margriet was also declared a saint. Since then she became the patron saint of hotels, restaurants and bars. She has her own chapel in Saint Peter’s Church.