Belfry of Leuven
The Belfry of Leuven is a unique historic tower that is part of the University Library on the Ladeuzeplein. Unlike classic medieval belfries, this tower was built in historicist style after the First World War as a symbol of the rebuilt university. The tower was inaugurated in 1928 and contains a carillon of 63 bells.
Accessibility of the library on the ground floor is good: there is a ramp at the main entrance and the reading rooms are partly reachable by lift. Climbing the belfry itself is, however, limited to guided tours for visitors, where the last stairs to the carillon are not wheelchair accessible. The Ladeuzeplein around the tower is completely level and paved with smooth slabs and cobblestones.
Adapted toilets are available in the library building. Disabled parking spaces are provided at the Monseigneur Ladeuzeplein and in the Ladeuze car park. A visit combines perfectly with a wheelchair walk through the Leuven city centre, the Grand Beguinage (UNESCO), the Town Hall, and the M Museum, which all lie within a 500-metre radius and are largely well accessible.
Good to know
- Reservation
- The library is freely accessible during opening hours. For a guided tour including the belfry tower, booking via M Leuven or the University Library is required.
- Busy and quiet times
- Busy during academic terms (October-December and February-May) when students fill the reading rooms. Quieter during the summer and Christmas holidays, and at weekends.
- Things to note
- The tower itself cannot be climbed by wheelchair users: the final stairs to the carillon are narrow and not fitted with a lift. Ladeuzeplein has a few cobbled stretches that can be uneven.
- Visit tip
- Combine with the Grand Beguinage (UNESCO) and M Museum within 500 metres; park in the underground Ladeuze car park with a direct lift, and plan a visit during a carillon concert (summer evenings) for a unique experience from the square.
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Similar locations
Gothic basilica and pilgrimage site in Halle, partially accessible for wheelchair users.
Historic square with Leuven's world-famous late Gothic city hall, fully accessible.
World-famous late Gothic city hall on the Grote Markt of Leuven, with a partially accessible visitor route.
Eat & drink nearby
Welcoming grand café on the Grote Markt of Leuven, a fixture for over 35 years serving Belgian and French cuisine....
Cosy bistro restaurant in the centre of Leuven with a small Belgian-French menu and a step-free ground floor.
Characterful four-star hotel in a former monastery in Leuven, with adapted rooms and a step-free lobby.