21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Rainy night in Leuven

This photo was taken on a rainy evening in Leuven, Belgium. A pedestrian is walking in front of the Leuven University Library. While the library looks old, it was actually built in the 1940s after being destroyed twice: once during the first world war, and again during the second. Following World War II, the library was rebuilt brick-by-brick. Much of the effort was funded by American donors, and the design was done by American architect Whitney Warren. The bricks around the foundation of the library still bear the names of the American donors who aided the reconstruction efforts.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 02.2020
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Leuven, Belgium
Camera: NIKON Z 6
Copyright: © Karin Fleming