Water Flowing Upstream... Ask 'Fiere Margriet'

The statue of Fiere Margriet was designed by Willy Meysmans and unveiled in 1982. 

There are different legends about Margriet.

Blessed Margaret of Leuven is a popular saint from Leuven. She is the patroness of martyrs and – because she worked in an inn – especially of catering staff and maids. 

The story of her begins with a certain Amandus, who opens the well-customered inn Sint-Joris in Leuven. Margriet, a relative, is a maid there. She is an attractive young girl and the young men revolve around her. But Margriet is not only beautiful, but also very pious. Because of her strong sense of honour, she soon became known as Fier Margrietken. One day, however, Amandus and his wife decide to sell their inn: Amandus wants to enter the Cistercian abbey of Villers and his wife in a women's monastery of the same order. Margriet also wants to go to that monastery. On September 2, 1225 (?), the eve of their departure from Leuven, eight pilgrims came to ask for food and lodging. Because there is no more drink in the house, Amandus sends Margriet for wine. But she has barely left the house when the so-called pilgrims rob and murder the innkeeper and his wife. When Margaret returns, the killers take her out of town and kill her. A few days later, fishermen discover the corpse on the banks of the Dyle. However, because the light remains visible above the grave, Margriet is excavated and taken to Leuven.

In the sixteenth century the Leuven professor and rector Johannes Molanus (1533-1585) wrote a second version of the vita. According to his account, Margrietje is raped and then murdered. Her corpse is thrown into the Dyle, but it does not sink. Fish carry the body so that it stays above water. Against the current and surrounded by a miraculous light, the body floats back towards Leuven. Hendrik I, the then Duke of Brabant, witnessed this miracle. The discovery of the body reveals the truth. Before they can do any further harm, the killer gang is tracked down and punished.

Archive documents show that Fiere Margriet was already intensively venerated in 1433 at least. Many miracles are said to have happened in the place where she was murdered and where she is buried.

Archive documents show that Fiere Margriet was already intensively venerated in 1433 at least. Many miracles are said to have happened in the place where she was murdered and where she is buried.

Margriet also stands as a statue on the old town hall, two places next to the statue of Vesalius .

The statue shows her floating in the Dyle river.  It is 2.5 meters long and weighs more than 200 kilograms. Sculptor Willy Meysmans was commissioned to depict the story as faithfully as possible. The image of the naked young woman initially provoked protest.

(Source: Leuven Gebeiteld_metkaft - Leuven statues.pdf, 2014 ), 

photo by Aslı Tezcan