Leuven
Leuven is home to KU Leuven, founded in 1425 and one of the oldest universities in Europe, giving the city one of the highest concentrations of international students in Belgium — including a large Indian student community.
Last updated: 2026-07-04
Leuven is home to KU Leuven, founded in 1425 and one of the oldest universities in Europe, giving the city one of the highest concentrations of international students in Belgium — including a large Indian student community.
- Population
- ~102,000
- History
- KU Leuven founded in 1425, making it one of the oldest universities in Europe
Why visit
- • KU Leuven University Library — rebuilt in neo-Renaissance style after WWI destruction, with a bell tower offering panoramic views
- • Oude Markt — a lively square lined with bars, popularly nicknamed 'the longest bar in Europe'
- • The Kruidtuin (Botanical Garden) — Belgium's oldest botanical garden, created in 1783 for medical students, free entry
- • An easy ~25 minute train ride from Brussels, making it a popular day trip or student base