ST.PETER'S CATHEDRAL, LEUVEN, BELGIUM

LOCATED IN THE CENTER SQUARE OF LEUVEN, ST. PETER'S IS AN EXPECTED SIGHT OF GRANDNESS IN THIS SMALL ANCIENT CITY JUST EAST OF BRUSSELS.  THE CITY ITSELF GREW FROM AS FAR BACK AS WHEN THE VIKINGS WERE DEFEATED BY A GERMAN KING IN 891.  IN 1425 THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF LEUVEN WAS ESTABLISHED WHICH STILL IS A BUSY UNIVERSITY TODAY DRAWING THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS TO THIS YOUTHFUL CITY.  YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING THAT IT IS ALSO THE HOME OF ANHEUSER-BUSCH WORLD HEADQUARTERS; BREWING THE POPULAR STELLA ARTOIS AT THE LOCAL DISTILLERY. 

THE CHURCH ORIGINALLY LOCATED AT THIS LOCATION WAS BUILT IN 986 BUT BURNED TO THE GROUND IN 1176 AS SO MANY CHURCHES DID IN THOSE DAYS.  ANOTHER CHURCH WAS BUILT MADE OF STONE BUT ALL THAT REMAINS OF THAT CHURCH IS PART OF THE CRYPT UNDER THE CHANCEL.  I HAVE A PHOTO BELOW.

IN 1425 THE CURRENT CHURCH BEGAN TO RISE IN THIS SPACE.  ST. PETER'S WAS ALMOST COMPLETE BY 1497 ALTHOUGH SOME CHANGES WOULD STILL BE MADE TO PARTS OF THE WEST END OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

YOU MAY HAVE THE SAME THOUGHT AS I DID LOOKING AT THE CHURCH - - THE SPIRE SEEMS WOEFULLY INADEQUATE FOR SUCH A GRAND SCALE CHURCH.  THERE WERE VERY GRAND PLANS FOR A 170m STEEPLE RISING UP FROM 3 COLOSSAL TOWERS.  IT TURNED OUT THAT INSUFFICIENT GROUND STABILITY AND FUNDING MADE THE BUILDING OF THESE GRAND TOWERS IMPOSSIBLE.   A 50m SPIRE WAS BUILT BUT WAS DESTROYED IN A FIRE IN 1914.  WHAT EXISTS ON THE CHURCH NOW IS KNOWN AS A FLECHE.

    

THIS PHOTO FROM THE 1800s SHOWS ST. PETER'S CHURCH IN THE BACKGROUND.  YOU CAN SEE THE SMALL CUPOLA ON THE LEFT WHICH IS WHAT THE FLECHE OR SPIRE REPLACED AFTER WORLD WAR II.

A BEAUTIFUL STAINED GLASS WINDOW DOES NOT HAVE TO BE BRIGHTLY COLORED

THE CRYPT;  I LIKE TO SEE THESE BECAUSE IT REALLY GIVES YOU A SENSE OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE CHURCH.  THIS PARTICULAR ONE HAS A LOT OF THE ORIGINAL FOUNDATION COVERED.

STAIRWAY FROM THE CRYPT

I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GREAT SCULPTURE BUT I WAS UNABLE TO FIND OUT MUCH ABOUT IT EXCEPT THAT IT IS OF ST. PETER AND WAS CARVED SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE 17TH AND 19TH CENTURIES

CURRENTLY HALF THE CHURCH HAS BEEN TURNED INTO A MUSEUM TO DISPLAY A REALLY GREAT COLLECTION OF RELIGIOUS ART IN THEIR POSSESSION.  CONSIDERING THE DESTRUCTION THAT THE CHURCH SUFFERED DURING BOTH WORLD WARS IT IS AMAZING THAT SO MUCH HAS SURVIVED. ONE SIGNIFICANT PAINTING IS BY DIRK BOUTS;  IT IS HIS "LAST SUPPER" AND I HAVE PULLED A PHOTO OF IT FROM THE INTERNET SINCE I DID NOT GET A GOOD SHOT OF IT MYSELF.  

STOLEN BY THE NAZI'S IN 1942 IT WAS RESTORED TO THE CHURCH AFTER THE WAR IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE VERSAILLES TREATY.

THIS TOWN HALL BUILDING SITS RIGHT ACROSS THE GROTE MARKT FROM ST. PETER'S.  IT'S ORNATE ARCHITECTURE IS REALLY MAGNIFICENT.

THE TOWN HALL BUILDING

THIS JACQUEMENT RINGS A BELL AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR.
THIS WAS AN ADDITION MADE TO THE CHURCH IN 1998