Two Hundred Years of Leuven Botanical Garden

Leuven’s ‘botanical garden’, covering more than two hectares, is nearly three hundred years old. What began as a collection of plants with medicinal properties, part of a kind of Medical Campus avant la lettre, is now a place for a leisurely stroll and a still little-known oasis of calm in the city. Established from 1738 onwards, Leuven Botanical Garden is the oldest in the country. The orangery, a classic feature of such a garden, and the glass-and-iron greenhouses were designed by Charles Vander Straeten, architect of the royal palaces in Brussels and the Lion’s Mound of Waterloo.

Since 1835, the garden has been owned by the City of Leuven. Over time, many scientific botanical gardens evolved into places showcasing ornamental and rare plants, sometimes of tropical origin. They also became trial gardens for plants with economic potential.

In the bustling Leuven of the 21st century, the Botanical Garden is a wonderfully green and exceptionally beautiful urban haven where culture and nature go hand in hand.