The Grote Markt is the heart of Leuven — a handsome medieval square presided over by two of the finest Gothic buildings in Belgium. On one side stands the jaw-dropping Stadhuis (town hall), an extravagant 15th-century confection of tracery, gables, and carved figures that looks less like a civic building and more like a reliquary scaled up to the size of a palace. Opposite, the massive nave of Sint-Pieterskerk anchors the square with quieter, more austere grandeur.
The square itself is busy from morning to night — students cutting through on their bikes, tourists photographing the town hall, locals stopping for coffee at the terrace cafes along the edges. It's not a quiet place for contemplation, but the quality of the architecture rewards time spent. Walk around all four sides and let the detail of the Stadhuis sink in: the niches stacked five storeys high, each holding a sculpted figure, the lace-like stonework climbing toward the gabled roofline.