St. Peter's Church, Leuven, Gothic church in Grote Markt, Belgium
St. Peter's Church is a Gothic church on Grote Markt in Leuven, Belgium, built with a cross-shaped floor plan and unfinished towers. It sits directly across from the Town Hall, and together these buildings form the center of the old city.
Construction began in 1425 under several architects including Sulpitius van Vorst and Jan II Keldermans, with building work continuing for more than 50 years. The extended building period and changing leadership shaped how the structure was finally completed.
The name "St. Peter" honors the chief apostle, and the interior shows how people have expressed their faith through art and design over time. You can experience this directly by walking through the space and seeing how religious works were placed to guide prayer and reflection.
You can visit during daytime hours, and it is easy to reach on foot from the Town Hall since both buildings share the main square. The surrounding area has shops and cafés, making it simple to combine your visit with exploring the rest of the city center.
Inside, there is a painting by Dirk Bouts from the 1460s showing the Last Supper, which has hung in its original chapel location for nearly 600 years. This continuity is remarkable because many artworks in churches have been moved or lost over time.
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