Statue Paep Thoon - Leuven

In 1961, the city of Leuven placed a bronze statue of Paep Thoon in the Brusselsestraat, on one arm of the Dyle. Peter Vanbekbergen was the sculptor.

Paep(e) Thoon (Leuven, 15th century) was a folk figure in Leuven, in the Burgundian Netherlands during the Middle Ages. Numerous stories circulated about him. His real name was Anthoon vander Phalizen. The name Paep refers to the fact that he was a priest child; the name Thoon refers to his first name Anthoon. Thoon was a natural child of Jan vander Phalizen, pastor of St. Peter's Church in Leuven. Thoon lived in the 15th century; the only date known is the year 1434 in which his father gave him an annual annuity. Thoon may have been hunchbacked. Thoon was organist and carillonneur in St. Peter's Church. He became known for the jokes he played in the city. When it became too much, a judge in Leuven sentenced him to exile in Liège. Thoon was never allowed to set foot on Leuven soil again. Thoon returned to Leuven with a horse and cart. His shoes were covered in the Liège mud and he asked the city guard to let him in through the gate. This led to a public outcry. The judge was called in. Thoon shouted aloud that with the Liege mud on his shoes he would not set foot on Leuven ground. The spectacle ended that the judge admitted. Thoon continued to live in Leuven as a jester. For example, he was told that he made fun of learned university students. Thoon wished to be buried, standing, with his mouth under a gargoyle of St. Peter's Church. That way he would never be thirsty. In fact, no one knows where he was buried.

Willem Vandenameele