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Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium. It is located about 25 kilometres east of Brussels.
The earliest mention of Leuven ("Loven") is from 891, when a Viking army was defeated by the Frankish king. According to city legend, its red-white-red colours depict the blood-stained shores of the river Dijle after this battle.
Situated beside this river, and near to the stronghold of the Dukes of Brabant, Leuven became, between the 11th and 14th centuries, the most important centre of trade in the duchy. A token of its former importance as a centre of cloth manufacture is reflected in the typical Leuven linen cloth.
In the 15th century, a new golden era began with the founding of the by-now largest and oldest university in the Low Countries, the Catholic University of Leuven, in 1425.
In the 18th century, Leuven became even more important as a result of the flourishing of its brewery, now named AB InBev, whose flagship beer, Stella Artois, is brewed in Leuven and sold in many countries throughout the world.
On the picture you see the Town Hall on the right.
The Town Hall is a landmark building on that city's Grote Markt (Main Market) square, across from the monumental St. Peter's Church. Built in a Brabantine Late Gothic style between 1448 and 1469, it is famous for its ornate architecture, crafted in lace-like detail.