St-Pieterskerk

Leuven

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At Leuven's heart is this soaring Brabantine-Gothic church (1425) whose remarkable wooden pulpit is fashioned like twin palm trees that drip with cherubs. The elaborately carved stone rood screen is magnificent too. Tickets are required to go beyond here into the apse, whose schatkamer (treasury) most notably includes two priceless triptychs by Leuven-based Flemish Primitive artist Dirk Bouts.

The 1464–67 masterpiece Het Laatste Avondmaal is remarkable for placing Jesus’ Last Supper in a typical Flemish Gothic dining hall. Its panels have been ‘lost’ several times, including during WWII, when Nazis carted them off and hid them in a salt mine.

Outside, if the church's northwest facade looks distinctly unfinished, that's because unstable subsoil forced builders to abandon a 170m-high tower that was originally planned here.

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Nearby Leuven attractions

1. Stadhuis

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Far and away Leuven’s most iconic sight, the incredible 15th-century stadhuis is a late-Gothic architectural wedding cake flamboyantly overloaded with…

2. M Van Museum

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This state-of-the-art gallery houses a priceless collection of 15th- to 18th-century religious works, fascinating Leuven-relevant historical objects and…

3. St-Michelskerk

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This church's enormous baroque frontage remains impressive despite considerable age-erosion to the limestone capitals. It's topped with trumpeteer angels…

4. Sint-Antoniuskapel

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Though originally built before 1329, this chapel is now an archetypal work of 1960s church design, made memorable as the last resting place of Father…

5. Universiteitsbibliotheek

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Dominating Monseigneur Ladeuzeplein, this imposingly grand Flemish Renaissance–style palace features a soaring Scandinavian-style brick tower topped with…

6. OLV-Ter-Koorts

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With its unusual interplay of brick and stone work, the exterior of this baroque former church is worth a look as you stroll by. It's now part of a…

7. Grote Begijnhof

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8. Stella Artois

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Just off the main inner ring road around 800m northwest of Leuven train station, this world-famous, highly automated brewery offers mostly group tours,…

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