an ancient town of Belgium, province of South Brabant, on the River Dyle, a tributary of the Scheldt, 15 miles E. by N. of Brussels. It consists of re- Louviers, gular but ill-built streets, and is encompassed by an earthen rampart 90 feet high, which in some parts has been converted into boulevards. On the outside is a dry ditch of considerable depth; while here and there ruined bastions, said to have been erected by the Spaniards, stand at intervals on the wall. The town, though once a place of commercial importance, has been for many years decaying, and now presents a deserted appearance. It has, however, many public buildings of considerable interest. The town-hall, founded in 1448, and recently repaired, is a building of great beauty, embellished as it is with the finest chiselings, and ornamented with many sculptures. In its neighbourhood stands the cathedral, founded in 1040; and, in consequence of two destructive fires, re-erected in 1538. The sacristy of this church exhibits elaborate carving, and rises in a hexagonal form to the height of 30 feet. The wooden pulpit is likewise a fine specimen of carving, representing the conversion of St Paul. Many famous paintings of the old Flemish school also ornament the building. The other most notable edifices are,—the guild-hall, founded in 1317, the university, the picture-gallery, and the church of St Gertrude. The university was a distinguished school of Roman Catholic theology in the sixteenth century, and possessed large endowments. It was, however, suppressed by the French republic; but at the end of the French war it was re-opened by William of Holland. Its library contains 105,000 volumes. The only manufacture of importance carried on here is that of beer, which is accounted the best in Belgium, and of which there are about 200,000 casks made yearly. Some woollens, hosiery, hats, soap, and candles, are also manufactured here.

Louvain is a place of considerable antiquity, and by some is thought to have been founded by Julius Caesar. The ruin of the old castle situate at the outskirts of the town is known by the inhabitants under the name of the Château de César, although it was not erected till 900 years after the death of Julius Caesar. It was the residence at different times of Edward III. of England and Charles V. of Spain. In the fourteenth century Louvain was the chief town of Brabant, was very populous, and the principal seat of the woollen manufacture in Flanders. In 1382 a large number of the weavers were banished from the town in consequence of a disturbance. These mostly emigrated to England, where they recommenced the wool manufacture, which, under their care, soon became more important than it had ever been at Louvain. From this period the town gradually decayed. It was taken for the first time in 1792 by General Kleber, who commanded the forces of the French republic. Pop. (1850) 30,065.