Park Abbey

The Park Abbey (Dutch Abdij van ' t Park, Parkabdij or Abdij van park) is a Premonstratensian abbey in Heverlee, a borough of Louvain in Belgium.

History

In the years 1129 to Godfrey I turned the Bearded, Count of Louvain and Duke of Lower Lorraine, at the Abbot of the Premonstratensian abbey of St. Martin in Laon, France, with a request to establish an abbey near lions. The Count donated for this purpose, a park and a hunting lodge; be Tyetdelinus Meier gave the Order a water mill and some adjacent fields.

Soon the first canons attracted one in the castle, and within a few years, the Foundation has developed into an abbey. Twelve years after the founding of the Abbey Park was declared independent from the mother abbey house, and the canons were her first abbot - Sirnon de Saint -Maurice - choose. The abbey was given the nickname " Sanctae Mariae de conventus Parco ", but is only called to this day popularly Park Abbey.

Under Abbot Willem van Luurbeek (1289-1306), the first abbey church was built in Romanesque style. His successor was in the south of the abbey dig ponds for fish farming. Fish was for the Premonstratensian who were allowed two-thirds of the year do not eat meat, an important food.

William I of Orange -Nassau made ​​the abbey in 1572 during the siege lion to his headquarters. The situation in the monastery eventually became so dangerous that the canons had to seek refuge in Leuven.

In the 17th century the abbots January Druys ( Drusius ) and Jan Maes dominated ( Masius ) monastic life at the Abbey. The Canons devoted to enhanced science and studied theology at the University of Leuven. Abt Drusius manifested as Visitor of the University of Louvain social thought leadership of the abbots of the Park Abbey.

End of the 17th century under Abbot Libert de Pape flourished Abbey thanks to the favorable impact of the Counter-Reformation. Agriculture brought prosperity to the monastery, and the abbot had a farm building and barn. End of the 18th century included the Park Abbey of the richest abbeys in the country.

Between 1719 and 1730, Monsignor Jerome de Waerseggere the gates, the church and the Prelature in the classical style remodel. In the abbey lived at that time 48 canons - a number that has since not been reached.

1786 Emperor Joseph II issued as part of its policy of abolition of all contemplative orders a decree, according to which all theology students had to complete their studies on a new General Seminar in Leuven. The Canons of the Park Abbey refused because they rejected the offer of the new study seminar, and in 1789 the abbey was dissolved after repeated magisterial threats by the emperor. The Premonstratensian had to leave the abbey, and 660 soldiers were stationed in the buildings. The monastery was looted and sold the possessions. However, by the Brabant Revolution, the Austrian regime could be temporarily displaced, and 1790, the Abbey Park could raise up.

1794 witnessed the Austrian army their final defeat by the French revolutionary troops, and the southern Netherlands went to France. The new regime forbade the profession of faith in public, and the Canons fell life increasingly difficult. Burden of the war forced the abbey also to some property for sale. In 1797 the canons were eventually expelled by French troops from the monastery, and the Park Abbey was state property. Through an intermediary, succeeded the Premonstratensians to repurchase a portion of the abbey, but they could no longer live in the building as a community. 1828 sold the canons all the art treasures and books of the Abbey, as they now held a restoration of monastic life impossible.

1836 was the abbey finally be reopened, but the 1797 nationalized parts of the monastery had already been sold and could not be bought back by the canons because of shortage of money. Abbot Francis Versteylen busy the new monastery, and the end of the 19th century did the canons even of founding a mission in Brazil.

Today a small number Premonstratensian lives in the monastery and continues the monastic tradition. 2003 large parts of the abbey in leasehold were given to the town of Leuven, since the Convention lacked the financial resources for the renovations necessary to the water mills among others.

Structures

Norbertustor

The Norbertustor is located next to the cemetery wall. The original building dates from the 17th century, but was rebuilt in the 20s of the 18th century and adapted by a monumental Toreinrahmung the classical style. The solid window frames give the door a half-timbered appearance. On the side facing the fields located in a niche above the archway hewn from white stone statue of the Founder Norbert of Xanten, which is to remind the visitors that he enters a Premonstratensian monastery. The roof was originally decorated with four gilded and has now disappeared decorative vases.

Church

1131 a simple Romanesque chapel was built on the site of the present abbey church. In the 13th century the church was converted into a simple Romanesque church. 1628 followed the next major change: Abt Drusius left under the choir build a crypt where the abbots were buried. End of the 18th century to the time of Emperor Joseph II, this grave chamber was closed again. Abbot de Waerseggere left from the renovation of the monastery and the church in the classical style renew. The Romanesque columns were removed, pulled up the aisles and skylights installed. The northern cross arm is canceled, the converted southern sacristy. The furniture inside was fundamentally changed. The Brussels sculptor Jacques Bergé created a baroque altar with a portico of basswood. In the Gemälder " The Birth of Jesus " by Erasmus Quellinus I. 17th century depends. The great organ of 1853 was severely damaged during a fire in 1985 and is no longer playable.

House of Provisors

The provisor was ( and is) a choir master of the abbey, who was responsible for the worldly affairs. He inspected the lands, forests and pastures, received in his office craftsmen, architects and tenants. The house in the back and sandstone style with stepped gables on the north and south side was built in the 17th century. At the beginning of the 18th century, it was - like many other buildings of the monastery - rebuilt in the classical style. Right in front of the house there is a currently abbot Libert de Pape -scale water pool where the cattle were soaked. In the 1980s the building was thoroughly renovated and now houses seminar rooms.

Cemetery

Next to the church is the cemetery where Louvain celebrities find their final resting place. The names on the grave stones recall the history of the city and the Catholic University of Leuven. To this day ceremony will be held at the cemetery. Many historic grave stones and monuments are well preserved and attract visitors.

Location

The Abbey is located in the southeast of Louvain outside the city ring road, south of the Philips plant in the vicinity of the train route to Liege and Germany. They can be reached 23 ( Haasrode ) by car via motorway A3, exit.

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