Events at
Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Vlierbeek
Abdij van Vlierbeek
3010 Kessel-Lo (Leuven)
Church | 1775-1790 | Classical | Catholic Church
Laurent-Benoît Dewez: forgotten top architect in the service of Court, Elite and Church
Exhibition
14 February 2025 - 29 June 2025 : 11.00 - 18.00
In a period before Belgium existed, Laurent-Benoît Dewez (1731-1812) was undoubtedly the most prominent architect in our region. As court architect to the Austrian governor Charles of Lorraine, he was known for his contributions to neoclassical architecture, a style popular during the late 18th century. More specifically, his oeuvre was dominated by the creation of a unitary ‘Eglise Belgique’.
Today, Dewez's vast oeuvre is still present in our (Leuven) streetscape. Yet only a select few still seem to know him. Despite his great achievements, he seems forgotten. With this exhibition, we pay tribute to his rich legacy. For Vlierbeek, Dewez designed a completely new abbey whose church and the so-called New Abbey Quarter were realised.
