The best city hikes and walks in Silsombos

Very good restaurant in the table round.

This monumental pulpit was made for the abbey church (Norbertines) of Ninove and consists of a rock and two palm trees. At the bottom, the conversion of Norbert is depicted, and Peter in a cave. In 1807, it was transferred to St. Peter's Basilica in Leuven. Source and more: https://ornamentsnijder.blogspot.com/2024/05/preekstoel-in-de-collegiale-sint.html

Our Leuven resident, Fonske, has had a turbulent history. Initially, he wasn't very popular, even though he's supposed to represent the source of wisdom. But let's be honest: everyone associates the source ('fons') with the mind it's supposed to nourish, in a context of downing beers instead of wisdom. Originally, the statue was commissioned for the renovated Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogy, but the dean wasn't keen on that idea. So Fonske was given to the city. Initially, you could find him between what was then Fochplein and the Grote Markt. Now, Fochplein has completely changed, both in appearance and name. Marshal Foch has been replaced by Rector de Somer. And during the redevelopment, Fonske was briefly absent. This wasn't the only time construction work caused him to disappear. Even in his early years at Fochplein, Fonske wasn't universally loved. Yet, he gradually became more popular, sometimes dressed in all sorts of costumes, a bit like Manneken Pis in Brussels. The Men of the Year played a particularly important role in this. The worst adventure our Fons endured was a real kidnapping in 1979. Fortunately, our Fons was found again in Louvain-la-Neuve, home to the new French-speaking university of Leuven after the split. He was a bit damaged but thankfully could be repaired. You can also find a photo of Fonske at Place des Wallons in Louvain-la-Neuve at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fonske_louvain-la-neuve_place_des_wallons_1979.jpg

Bronze statue of Paep Thoon, made in 1991 by P. Vanbekbergen, depicting Paep Thoon, a 15th-century folk figure and also chaplain and carillonneur at St. Peter's Church. Inventory of Immovable Heritage: Statue of Paep Thoon, https://id.erfgoed.net/erfgoedobjecten/206351

The Romanesque gate dating from 1218-1222 is the only remnant of the St. Elisabeth Hospital, founded here around 1080-1090 under Henry III, Count of Leuven. After a fire in 1363 and a major reorganization at the end of the 15th century, the hospital was almost entirely rebuilt. This included the late Gothic chapel (1490-1515), which might lead you to mistake it for a church. Today, the Romanesque gate provides access to the cultural center. It features a round-arched portal made of white sandstone and dark gray Tournai limestone, with rich carvings from the early 13th century. Among the other buildings from a later period, besides the chapel, are a restored monastery wing with parts of the old building (16th century), an east wing of the Gothic monastery building, a neoclassical hospital (1840-1868), and a restored farmhouse. The carriage house was recently restored into a concert and theater hall. Inside, the Gothic monastery building preserves six-part cross vaults and a lavatory. There are kitchens, workrooms, and living rooms belonging to the nuns from the 17th and 18th centuries. The classicist refectory has been repainted in its original colors. The staircase to the attic is decorated with rocaille stucco and carved wood. The "Monseigneurskwartier" (Monseigneurs' Quarters) is hung with gold leather and painted linen. Source: https://www.uitinvlaanderen.be/agenda/e/romaanse-poort/EB98193D-D19C-7FC4-07DF5992F6D9F0A8

The first herb garden of Leuven (a "pharmaceutical plant garden") was built from 1738 onwards under the impetus of Professor Hendrik Rega (1690-1754) on a site between the Dijle and the Voer rivers, where municipal school for girls number 3 was later built. The only thing you can still see of it (Minderbroedersstraat number 50): the gate. The second botanical garden—and the current one—was created by the Leuven landscape architect Guillaume Rosseels (1769-1832), under the direction of the German botanist Professor J.F. Adelman. Based on a design by Charles Vander Straeten (1771-1834), court architect to the Prince of Orange. From 1821 to 1823, the gatehouse with the gardener's cottage, the orangery with greenhouses, and a surrounding wall were built in a strict classical style. In 1835, the state university ceded the botanical garden to the city of Leuven, which has since been called the "Municipal Botanical Garden." The garden's layout was already modified in 1838 to allow for greater plant diversity; the symmetry of the flowerbeds at the foot of the orangery partially disappeared. The orangery itself was also repeatedly renovated. In In 1984, the tropical greenhouse (1880) east of the orangery was replaced by a larger one, allowing it to better accommodate the garden's evolving function: from a scientific herb garden to a recreational botanical garden. In the same vein, the botanical garden was recently expanded to include an area behind the former Marollen Monastery (Kapuchijnenvoer 32), where an orchard and a sunken garden with a Victorian greenhouse were created. Inventory of Immovable Heritage: Urban botanical garden, https://id.erfgoed.net/erfgoedobjecten/42252

In front of the word Leuven stands a wave-shaped wooden bench with the words "Roed to 2050." I posted a close-up photo of it. Originally, smaller yellow letters were placed on this bench, which together formed two words: "Green Leaf." The whole thing formed the "Leuven Green Leaf" Award. This award confirms that Leuven is one of the greenest and most sustainable cities in Europe (hence the reference to 2050). So this does indeed have a meaning. Source and photos originally found entirely at https://www.pulsenetwerk.be/nieuwslijst/2018/9/11/green-leaf-award-stad-leuven

Sluispark is a brand-new park in the trendy Vaartkom neighborhood. Water plays a central role here, thanks to the reclaimed Dyle River, long steps leading down to the water, and a water playground. You'll also find the Green Leaf artwork here. Leuven won this prestigious European award for its role as a model for sustainable development. Source: https://www.visitleuven.be/sluispark