Leuven Town Hall

The centuries-old town hall is the pride of Leuven. It is also one of the most famous Gothic town halls in the world. The first stone was laid in 1439. It took thirty years to build and had three master builders.
The richly decorated facade on the Grote Markt with its 236 statues is the most impressive building in Leuven. There are niches in the projections between the windows and in the corner towers. The pedestals are sculpted representations of sin and punishment from the Bible.
A small detail, Leuven has decided to remove the statue of Leopold 2 from its niche. They want to recognize that people still bear the consequences of that history today.
You can visit the town hall at:
Monday & Tuesday & Wednesday & Thursday & Friday & Sunday from : 15.00 h
And Friday & Saturday & Sunday from : 16.00 h Price: 4 euros

The town hall of Leuven is one of the most famous Gothic town halls in the world and is located on the Grote Markt in Leuven.
The plans for the town hall of Leuven are based on and inspired by the town hall of Bruges. The town hall of Bruges is one of the oldest in Belgium and, in addition to that of Leuven, served as a model for the town halls of Oudenaarde, Brussels and Ghent, among others. The stones were made of Ledian stone from quarries such as De Helle in Dilbeek.
The town hall has three floors. There are two niches between the windows, which protrude slightly. Three of the four corner towers also have niches. The corbels are sculpted representations from the Bible. The recurring theme is guilt and penance. They had a didactic and admonishing function. During the first restoration in the nineteenth century, most of them were replaced; however, the original corbels are located in the attic of the town hall. Since the city services moved to the City Office at Professor Roger Van Overstraetenplein (at the station), the historic city hall is only used for ceremonies.
nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stadhuis_van_Leuven

The centuries-old town hall is the pride of Leuven. It is also one of the most famous Gothic town halls in the world. The first stone was laid in 1439. The construction took thirty years and had three master builders. The late Gothic St. Peter's Church is located directly opposite the town hall. Today
Since the relocation of the city services at the end of 2009, the town hall is only used for ceremonies. On the side of the town hall you will find the tourist information office: the ideal starting point for your discovery tour of Leuven. Buy tickets for a guided tour or ask all your questions to the staff. Daily guided tour
The guide will tell you about the construction history of this Gothic gem. You will discover, among other things, the story behind the 235 statues on the facade. You will also visit the walking hall, the large and small Gothic hall and the council chamber. New purpose & restoration
In 2020, an agency was appointed to give the town hall a new purpose. The work will last until 2027.