Kruidtuin Leuven
“Being a total sucker for botanical gardens a visit to the Kruidtuin was on top of my list of things to see in Leuven. It turned out to be a highlight of the trip, as I did not expect it to be this wonderful. From the mesmerizing purple Wisteria in bloom to the tropical small greenhouses – I loved every bit of it.”
Like a lot of old botanical gardens the Kruidtuin was built by the university for medical purposes in 1738. It also explains the name Kruidtuin, which literally translates to Herbal Garden. The herbs were used for medicines back in the days. Later on the Kruidtuin became an actual botanical garden with imported plants, trees and flowers from all over the world.
Nowadays the garden isn’t used for medical purposes anymore, but just a nice place to escape from the city. With the beautiful outdoor garden it’s a great place to read a book, just relax in the sun or stroll through the park and have a look at the flowers or the chickens and bees.
If it’s cold outside you can also warm up in the 450m2 greenhouse and look at all the exotic plants and cacti. Imagine yourself in a tropical jungle! A small one, that is, but a tropical jungle nevertheless.
