Have you visited the Arenberg Campus for science, engineering and technology yet?
Did you know that all that science started here?
We're in the Maria Theresia College, founded by the Jesuits in the 16th century.
In the 18th century, under Maria Theresa of Austria,
When the Order of the Jesuits was suppressed,
the college became a seminary for theology students.
Shortly afterwards,
the 'Collegium Veteranorum' was added next door
as a residency for alumni of the theology faculty.
In the 19th century, the building was used to house the "Philosophical College",
where future priests were trained in philosophy.
The 'aula magna' and the ‘aula minor' were also built in this period.
The aula magna had a central heating system that ran on steam
which was the oldest such system on the European continent.
But let's get back to the sciences!
During the 19th century,
the Faculty of Science organised its 'Special Schools' here
and in Pope's College.
Over the course of the 19th century,
the programme was expanded and gradually became the engineering programme we have today.
The building was later unable to accommodate the massive
number of students who registered for the sciences
so the engineers moved to Arenberg Campus.
Nowadays, however, these buildings are still used by students at KU Leuven.