België/Belgique

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Leuven
Vlaams-Brabant

Grote Markt 9
(Stadhuis)

236 Gevelbeelden aan het Stadhuis van Leuven

236 Statues on Leuven's Town Hall


(Wikipedia)
1852-1907

Leuven / 236 Gevelbeelden aan het Stadhuis van Leuven   Leuven / 236 Gevelbeelden aan het Stadhuis van Leuven

Description

The 15th century gothic Town Hall is in the 19th and early 20th century adorned with 236 statues. They are placed in canopied niches between the windows and on the three corner-turrets. The corbels supporting the statues - dating from the 15th century - represent biblical scenes without relation to the statue on it). The 236 statues have become the Leuven pantheon. They show So far, we have only the statue of Gerard Mercator photographed, maybe later more.

Gerard Mercator  Gerard Mercator

Annotation

There are no inscriptions on the statues. The first reliable inventarisation is published 1999-2000 in two volumes as Het Leuvens Stadhuis, Beeld - Schoon by Maria Giller, Gilbert Huybens, and Paul Reekmans, with photos by Eric Dewaersegger, with biographical descriptions of each statue, and several essays on the history of the statues. On these volumes our descriptions and lists are based.

List of statues

Explication of codes at the end of this page.

1. Façades

Ground floor:
Leuven artists, scholars and eminent citizens
(two rows, in the list the upper pair precedes the lower pair)		 First floor:
figures who symbolise the municipal privileges and the patron saints of the parishes		 Second floor:
the Counts of Leuven and the Dukes of Brabant
Eastern façade (Police station)
  1. Gortzius Geldrop (1553-1616), painter {Vh}[79]
  2. Gregorius Bert(h)olfs (1484-1528), jurist and magistrate {Vh}[80]
  3. Sulpitius van Vorst or van Diest (c. 1375-1439), architect {Sm}[75]
  4. Jozef Geldolf van Rijckel (1581-1642), abbot of the St. Geertrui Abbey {Sm}[76]
  5. Otto van de Putte (c. 1450-1490), sculptor and soldier {Wy}[81]
  6. Joannes Baptista Gramaye (1579-1635), historian and playwright {Wy}[82]
  7. Nicolaas Clenardus (1493-1542), linguist {Co}[77]
  8. Gerard Mercator (1512-1594), cartographer {Co}[78]
  1. St. Michael {Co}[83]
  2. St. Quentin {Co}[84]
  3. St. Jacobus Major {Co}[85]
  4. St. Gertrude {Co}[86]
  1. Lambert I the Bearded (c. 950-1015) {VL}[87]
  2. Otto († 1041) {Vh}[88]
  3. Lambert II Balderik (c. 990-1062) {Vh or Sm}[89]
  4. Henry II (c. 1020-1079) {Go}[90]
NE Turret
  1. Nicolaus Grudius († 1572), poet and diplomat {Go}[107]
  2. Antonio Perez (1583-1672), jurist and magistrate {Go}[108]
  3. Vopiscus Fortunatus Plempius (1601-1671), physician and ophthalmologist {Go*Vk75}[109]
  4. Michael Baius (1513-1589), theologian {Go}[110]
  5. Matthias vanden Gheyn (1721-1785), organist-carilloneur and composer {Go*Vk75}[111]
  1. St. Dorothea {Ab}[112]
  2. St. Margaret of Antioch {Ab}[113]
  3. St. Catharine of Alexandria {Ab}[114]
  4. St. Martha {Ab*Vk75}[115]
  5. St. Lucia of Syracuse {Ab}[116]
  1. Henry III the Younger (c. 1050-1095) {Go}[117]
  2. Godfrey I the Bearded (c. 1060-1139) {Go}[118]
  3. Godfrey II the Younger (c. 1100-1142) {Go*Vk}[119]
  4. Godfrey III the Brave (1141-1190) {Go}[120]
  5. Henry I (c. 990-1038) {VL*Vk}[121]
Front
  1. Nicolaes De Keerssmaeckere († 1467), burgomaster from the families {Ab*Vk}[21]
  2. Viglius Zuichemus ab Aytta (1507-1577), jurist and statesman {Ab*Vk75}[22]
  3. Quinten Metsys (Matsijs) (1466-1530), painter {Go}[3]
  4. Wouter van der Ley(d)en († 1378), burgomaster from the nations {Go*Vk75}[4]
  5. Pieter Stockmans (1608-1671), jurist and statesman {Ab}[23]
  6. Adrianus Romanus (1561-1615), mathematician and physican {Go*Gr75}[24]
  7. Pope Adrianus VI (Adriaan Florisz. Boeyens) (1459-1523) {Go*Vk}[5]
  8. Dirk Bouts (c. 1410-1475), painter {Go or VA}[6]
  9. Hubert Stuerbout († 1481), town painter {Go*Vk75}[25]
  10. Joos Metsys (Matsijs) jr. (c. 1463-1530), smith, clock maker and architect {Go*Vk}[26]
  11. Pieter Couthereel (c. 1320-after 1373), leader uprising of cloth manufacturers {Go or VA}[7]
  12. Desiderius Erasmus (1467/69-1536), humanist {Go or VA*Vk75}[8]
  13. Dirk Martens (c. 1446-1534), printer-publisher {Go}[27]
  14. Cornelis Gemma (1535-1579), physician, mathematican and astronomer {Go*Vk}[28]
  15. Petrus Divaeus (1536-1581), historian {Pu*MA96}[9]
  16. Justus Lipsius (1547-1606), philologist and historian {Pu*Gr75}[10]
  17. Maria van Brabant († 1321), queen of France {VA}[29]
  18. Cornelius Jansenius (1585-1638), theologian {VA*vG75}[30]
  19. Mattheus de Layens († 1483), architect {Pu}[11]
  20. Johan van Westfalen (c. 1440/5-after 1501), printer-publisher {Pu*Gr}[12]
  21. Willem Hesius S.J. (1601-1690), architect {VA*Gr76}[31]
  22. Hieronymus Busleyden (c. 1470-1517), humanist and diplomat {VA*Gr76}[32]
  23. Joannes Jacobus van de Ven (1671-1722), burgemeester uit de geslachten {Pu}[13]
  24. Zeger Bernard van Espen (1646-1728), canonist {Pu*Vk}[14]
  25. Theodorus Guilielmus Maria Baron d'Eynatten de Schoonhoven (1712-1789), burgemeester uit de geslachten {Vm or VA}[33]
  26. Petrus Josephus Verhaghen (1728-1811), painter {Vm}[34]
  27. Pope Martinus V (Otto Colonna) (1368-1431) {Ge*vG76}[15]
  28. Willem de Zadelaere († 1397), canon {Ge}[16]
  29. Willem Ard(t)s († after 1453/54), sculptor {Vm}[35]
  30. Juan Luis Vivès (1492-1540), humanist {Vm*Vk76}[36]
  31. Lodewijk Elzevier (c. 1547-1617), printer-publisher {Ge*vG76}[17]
  32. Arnold vander Hofstadt († 1302), 'schepen' (alderman) {Ge}[18]
  33. Theodoor van Loon (1581/82-1667), painter {Vm*Gr76}[37]
  34. Valerius Andreas (1588-1655), jurist and historiograaf {Vm}[38]
  35. Henricus Josephus Rega (1690-1754), anatomist {Ge*Vk76}[19]
  36. Erycius Puteanus (1574-1646), historian {Ge*Vk76}[20]
  1. Een meier (a bailiff) {Ab}[39]
  2. Burgemeester uit de geslachten (burgomaster from the families) {Ab*Gr75}[40]
  3. Burgemeester uit de naties (burgomaster from the nations) {Ab*vG}[41]
  4. Een schepen (A sherrif) {Ab*Gr}[42]
  5. Een gezworene uit de geslachten (a juryman from the families) {Ab*vG75}[43]
  6. Een gezworene uit de naties (a juryman from the nations) {Ab*vG75}[44]
  7. Een deken van de lakenwevers (a dean of the cloth manufacturers) {Ab*Gr}[45]

    The seven Leuven families

  8. Eberwyn Uten Liemingen {Ab*vG}[46]
  9. Meynaert Van den Calsteren {Ab}[47]
  10. Meys Van Redingen {Vm*Gr}[48]
  11. Lodewijk Van den Steen {Vm*vG76}[49]
  12. Vranck Van Rode {Vm*vG76}[50]
  13. Salomon Gielis {Vm*vG76}[51]
  14. Eberwyn Verrusalem {Vm}[52]

    The patron saints of the guilds

  15. O.L. Vrouw van Zeven Weeën {Vm}[53]
  16. St. George {Vm*vG76}[54]
  17. St. Sebastian {Vm}[55]
  18. St. Christopher {Vm*Gr76}[56]
  1. Henry IV the Courageous = Henry I of Brabant (1165-1235) {Go}[57]
  2. Henry V the Generous = Henry II of Brabant (c. 1207-1248) {Go}[58]
  3. Henry VI the Kind = Henry III of Brabant (c. 1231-1261) {Go}[59]
  4. Adelaide of Burgundy (c. 1230-1273) {Go*Vk}[60]
  5. John I de Conqueror, of Brabant (1252/3-1294) {Go}[61]
  6. John II of Brabant (1275-1312) {Go}[62]
  7. Jonn III of Brabant (1300-1355) {Go*Vk}[63]
  8. Wenceslas I of Luxembourg (1337-1383) {Go}[64]
  9. Joanna of Brabant (1322-1406) {Go}[65]
  10. Antoine of Valois (1384-1415) {Vd or Vm*Gr76}[66]
  11. John IV of Brabant (1403-1427) {Vd or Vm*Gr76}[67]
  12. Philip of Valois (1404-1430) {Gs*Vk76}[68]
  13. Philip the Good (1396-1467) {Gs*Vk76}[69]
  14. Charles the Bold (1433-1477) {Ra*Vk76}[70]
  15. Mary of Burgundy (1457-1482) {Ra*Vk76}[71]
  16. Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (1459-1519) {Pe*Vk76}[72]
  17. Philip the Handsome (1478-1506) {Pe}[73]
  18. Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500-1558) {Sm or Pe*Vk76}[74]
NW Turret
  1. Joannes Molanus (1533-1585), theologian and historian {Ab}[122]
  2. Filippus Verheyen (1648-1710), anatoom {Ab}[123]
  3. Willem Boonen (after 1546-1618), chronicler {Ab}[124]
  4. Henricus Gravius (1536-1591), theologian {Ab}[125]
  5. Willem van Rode († 1391), knight {Ab}[126]
  1. St. Nicolas of Myra {Vm*Gr79}[127]
  2. St. Arnoldus of Soissons {Vm}[128]
  3. St. Livinus of Gent {Vm}[129]
  4. St. Matthew {Vm}[130]
  5. St. Aubertus {Vm}[131]
  1. Philip II of Spain (1527-1598) {Vm}[132]
  2. Albert VII, Archduke of Austria (1559-1621) {Vm*vG79}[133]
  3. Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain (1566-1633) {Vm}[134]
  4. Philip IV of Spain (1605-1665) {Vm*Gr79}[135]
  5. Charles II of Spain (1661-1700) {Vm*Gr82}[136]
Western façade (Naamsestraat)
  1. Catharina Pypelaers († early 17th century), benefactor {Gs}[95]
  2. Franciscus de la Hault (c. 1616-1671), civil servant and benefactor {Ra}[96]
  3. Petrus Heyme († 1422), patrician and benefactor {Ra}[91]
  4. Joannes Keynooghe († 1490), patrician and benefactor {Ra}[92]
  5. Aert van Halverm(e)ylen († 1552), civil servant and benefactor {Cu}[97]
  6. Jacobus Santvoert (1584-1663), jurist and benefactor {Cu}[98]
  7. Jan vanderMerckt (15th century), master-smith and benefactor {Gs}[93]
  8. Lodewyck van Heylwegen (c. 1485-1556), knight and benefactor {Gs}[94]
  1. St. Martin of Tours {DV}[99]
  2. St. Bartholomew {DV*Gr79}[100]
  3. St. Crispinus {Vm}[101]
  4. St. Joseph {Vm*Gr82}[102]
  1. Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor (1685-1740) {Sm}[103]
  2. Empress Maria Theresa of Austria (1717-1780) {Vm or Pe*Gr79}[104]
  3. Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor (1741-1790) {Vm or Pe*Gr79}[105]
  4. Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor (1747-1792) {Co or Pe*vG82}[106]
SW Turret
  1. Lodewijk van Schore (1492-1548), jurist and councillor {Cu}[137]
  2. Johannes Caligator (c. 1322-na 1351), theologian and moralising writer {Cu}[138]
  3. Jan Baptist Staes (1737-1813), attorney, notary and publisher {Go}[139]
  1. St. Cosmas (or St. Damianus) {Go}[140]
  2. St. Albertus of Leuven {Go}[141]
  3. St. Margaret of Leuven (Fiere Griet) {Go*Gr82}[142]
  4. Arnulf of Carinthia († 899), German king {Go}[143]
  5. Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564), anatomist {Vm&VU}[144]
  1. Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor (1768-1835) {Go}[145]
  2. Jan van Rillaer de Oude (1495-1568), town painter {Vm&VU}[146]
  3. Guy Morillon († 1548), humanist {Vm&VU}[147]
  4. Leopold II, King of Belgium (1835-1909) {Vm&VU}[148]
  5. Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) {Co or Vd}[149]
Above the entrance doors are smaller statues of Our Lady / O.L.Vrouw (148 [1]) and St. Peter (149 [2]) (both {Co}.

2. Turrets

Listed per turret per row, from bottom to top. For the eastern turrets starting with the western statues and anti-clockwise; for the western turrets clockwise from the eastern statue.
Turrets eastern façade (Police station)Turrets western façade
Southern corner turrets

    1st row
  1. Josiah [148bis]
  2. Jeconiah/Jehoiachin [149bis]
  3. Shealtiel [150]
  4. Zerubbabbel [151]
  5. Abiud [152]
  6. Amos (king of Judah) [153]

    2nd row

  7. Minor prophet? [176]
  8. Holy Virgin [177]
  9. Anonymous [178]
  10. Ecco Homo [179]
  11. Anonymous [180]
  12. Rehoboam [181]
  13. Anonymous [182]
  14. Anonymous [183]

    1st row
  1. Mattan [175bis]
  2. Eleazar [175]
  3. Eliud [174]
  4. Achim [173]
  5. St. Mattias [172]
  6. Apostle [171]
  7. St. Jacobus Minor [170]

    2nd row

  8. Minor prophet? [214]
  9. Elisa [213]
  10. Elia [212]
  11. Love (Caritas) [211]
  12. St. Matthew [210]
  13. Minor prophet? [209]
  14. Minor prophet? [208]
  15. Anonymous [215]
    Central turrets

      1st row
    1. Salomo [154]
    2. Allegorical personification of the element fire? [155]

      2nd row

    3. Jesse or Yishay or Isai [184]
    4. Abia [185]
    5. David [186]
    6. Asaph [187]

      3rd row

    7. Priest? [222]
    8. Figure from the Tree of Jesse [223]
    9. Figure from the Tree of Jesse [216]
    10. Figure from the Tree of Jesse [217]
    11. Minor prophet? [218]
    12. Figure from the Tree of Jesse [219]
    13. Anonymous [220]
    14. Figure from the Tree of Jesse [221]`

      1st row
    1. Niklaas Chavre (2th half 14de century), architect [169]
    2. Alart Duhamel (c. 1450-before 1507), architect [168]

      2nd row

    3. St. Philip [207]
    4. Apostle [206]
    5. St. Bartholomew [205]
    6. Apostle [204]

      3rd row

    7. Zephaniah [226]
    8. Joel [225]
    9. Jonah [224]
    10. Habakuk [231]
    11. Joshua [230]
    12. Anonymous [229]
    13. Gideon [228]
    14. Figure from the Old Testament? [227]
    Northern corner turrets

      1st row
    1. Eliakim [156]
    2. Priest? [157]
    3. Amos (Minor prophet) [158]
    4. Minor prophet? [159]
    5. Anonymous [160]
    6. Priest? [161]
    7. St. Joseph [161bis]

      2nd row

    8. Micah [195]
    9. Jehoshaphat [188]
    10. Jehoram [189]
    11. Uzziah [190]
    12. Jotham [191]
    13. Ahaz [192]
    14. Anonymous [193]
    15. Anonymous [194]

      1st row
    1. Apostle [167]
    2. St. Andrew [166]
    3. St. John Evangelist 165
    4. St. Paul [164]
    5. St. Peter [163]
    6. Jesus Christ [162]
    7. Mary [162bis]

      2nd row

    8. Aäron [196]
    9. Moses [203]
    10. Simson [202]
    11. Figure from the Tree of Jesse [201]
    12. Daniel [200]
    13. Jeremiah [199]
    14. Ezekiel [198]
    15. Isaiah [197]

    Sources & Information

    Tags

    Locatie (N 50°52'44" - E 4°42'4") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

    Item Code: bevb001; Photograph: 31 October 2009
    Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
    If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
    © Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

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