Wordless Wednesday: Through A Window

The Gardens Of Abbaye de Villers-la-Ville

One of the best things about Belgium is its proximity to some of Europe's great cities and sights. Thanks to its central location, in two hours we can be in Paris or London; Brussels or Amsterdam. It really makes for great trips. But despite all of these world renowned locations we can visit, one of my favorite things to do on weekends is to explore the hidden places that are closer to home; these are the sights that locals know about and whirlwind visitors rarely get to see. These off the beaten path places  have yielded what I think are some of Belgium's best treasures. And one such place is the ruins and gardens of the Abbaye de Villers-la-Ville.

Like many Belgian abbeys, this one dates back to the early 10th Century when a small group of monks established an abbey in the secluded village of Villers and its ensuing history is also similar to other abbeys. It expanded in size and population, endured wars, internal crises and reign changes. By the 13th Century the estate covered over twenty-five thousand acres and was indeed one of the largest ones around. (The power once held by the abbey is still evident in wandering the grounds; in addition to the typical spaces and buildings one would expect, the abbey had their own prison). The abbey was "modernized" over time with mediaeval buildings getting transformed into a more classical style. During the French Revolution the abbey was closed and the surrounding property sold. During the following years the abbey fell into ruins with a small amount of restoration work finally beginning in 1893. It wasn't until close to a century later in 1984, however, that large scale restoration work began.

The remains of the guest house turned brewery

The great room of the guest house

Today visitors can walk through the still expansive grounds visiting the remains of the refectory, church, cloister and chapel as well as the numerous outbuildings that made the abbey a fully functioning city unto itself. The guest house provided space for up to one hundred pilgrims before it was converted into an onsite brewery. Today you can climb the stairs to what is now the roof but was once the second floor of the building and get a bird's eye view of the ruins and grounds. Various workshops, the pharmacy and infirmary, monk's dormitory and the afore mentioned prison are also open for exploring. And let us not forget the church itself as it was and still is the centerpiece of the abbey grounds. The sky is now its ceiling yet it is so easy to imagine how impressive the structure must have been when it was fully standing.

What remains........

Inside the chapel

Giant dill--it was taller than I am 

But by far, my favorite part of the abbey was its two remaining gardens. Gardens played a central role in the functioning of any community and as such were a vital part of abbey life. There was typically a cloister garden, a vegetable garden, a fruit orchard which doubled as the monk's graveyard, and a medicinal plant garden. Today, what is called the square garden and the wild garden remain. The square garden is manicured and filled with neat plants, gurgling fountains, benches for resting and wide pathways making it feel slightly regal and formal. It sits in juxtaposition to a backdrop of decaying ruins giving it a rather medieval and haunted feeling. The adjacent wild garden, however, is just that. The gardens are filed with (purposefully?) overgrown flowers with grasses hiding much of the more narrow paths and benches. And this garden is fragrant with herbs. Scents of lavender, mint and dill fill the air and grape vines, heavy with tart green fruit, hang over the trellises. Although this garden is only separated from the passing road by a brick wall, it feels untouched by modern society as though it is a world away from today. It is a truly tranquil place and I could have sat there forever.


The abbey grounds are the perfect place to spend a few hours walking, picnicking and simply enjoying the day. Paths are well marked, dogs are welcome on much of the grounds and there are plenty of benches and picnic tables for sitting and relaxing. And unlike many ruins we have visited, you can actually explore just about every nook and cranny of the old abbey. And if the winding stone stairs, shady paths and mysterious nooks aren't enough to entertain you, on the day of our visit there were even children's lawn games set up for visitors to partake in. Have you ever wanted to play "throw the ring around the monk"? If so, this is the place for you.

Looking down into the square garden

Looking through the square garden towards the chapel

If you go:
Abbaye de Villers-la-Ville
Moulin Abbatial
Rue de l'Abbaye, 55
1495 Villers-la-Ville BELGIUM
+32 (0)71 88 09 80
info@villers.be
www.villers.be

Open daily from 10.00-18.00 (April through October) and 10.00-17.00 (November-March)
Closed Tuesdays, Christmas Eve & Christmas Day, New Years Eve & New Years Day
Adults- 6 Euro, children under 6 Free

The Ruins Of The Abbaye d' Aulne

Blame it on my love of the Nancy Drew mystery series when I was a younger reader but for me, but many times, the ruins of a building are more beautiful than a well preserved building in its pristine state. As a Nancy Drew fan I used to fantasize about exploring the old granite ruins of castles and mansions the way Nancy and her friends did in their quest to solve the latest mystery. (Never mind that these fancy ruins were more apt to be in Europe than in the middle American suburban community Nancy called home; I loved them just the same). So it is no wonder than some of my favorite places to visit here in Europe are ruins. And of all the ruins I've seen, those of the Abbaye d' Aulne in Thuin, Belgium are by far one of my favorite.

The abbey dates back to the 7th Century when it was founded by Landelin, the son of a wealthy noble family, on the banks of the Sambre River. Various tales have him being a failed monk prone to debauchery as well as an ordained priest who was charged by the Holy See to built abbeys and to evangelize in a part of the world that was not overly religious. By the 9th Century the abbey had expanded its footprint, rule of the abbey had changed hands under the leadership of St. Bernard to the Cistercians, a conservative sect who turned inward, focusing on a quiet life free of outside corrupt influences which had plagued the abbey in recent years.

The following centuries were a turbulent time in this part of the world. The abbey was invaded by the French army in 1538 and again in 1578 by Dutch Calvinists who were at war against Phillip II of Spain; on both occasions the monks were forced to flee to safety. Under the reign of King Louis XIV French army invaded the region once again in 1693, pillaging and looting from the abbey and surrounding villages and leaving destruction in their wake. A century later , in 1794 during the French Revolution, the abbey was burned because it was a symbol of religion. By the time of the fire, locals had repeatedly plundered it of many of its valuables. Within a year, however, the monks returned and began rebuilding, restoring the associated mill and brewery. But those parts of the abbey that weren't reconstructed underwent a "voluntary" deconstruction with bricks, stones and pavers from the former cloister and former palace being repurposed for other construction projects including the 1845 reconstruction of the Charleroi-Erquelines rail line. In 1855 construction of a new church begins on the site and by 1873 it is blessed.

By the end of the century the remaining abbey facades had continued to deteriorate and posed such a  danger that the government stepped forward, partnering with the University of Ghent to restore the remaining buildings. The restoration work has continued through the years, pausing during the Second World War, with the abbey being recognized as a heritage site in 1991.

A visit today reveals the ongoing conservation work and excavation of the site. Parts of the ruins are cordoned off from visitors and as a heavily dented metal walkway indicates, the unrestored facade of the abbey is continuing to crumble. But there is still so much to see and for the most part, visitors can explore the many nooks and crannies of the old abbey. There is of course the "new' church and adjacent offices and event space that reminds me just how commercialized so many churches and abbeys have become. But the numbered placards (written only in French) explain the various parts of the original abbey grounds. The abbey grounds are sparse yet well cared for with the only adornment being carefully pruned bushes. Where a (presumably grand) fountain once stood there is now an empty basin. I've walked down the grand center aisle of many cathedrals but standing on the grass and pebble covered path at the foot of the former alter is a one of a kind experience. With the blue sky replacing the soaring vaulted ceilings and vines taking the place of ornate windows, you can get a real sense of how grand the cathedral once was. Windows are now pane-less, providing a clear view both inside and outside of buildings. Stubby stone columns are the only remnants of what had been the grand pillars supporting the apses' infrastructure yet it is easy to picture what they had looked like in their heyday.

For me, each view of the abbey was more magnificent than the last. Standing on the inside and looking up and out was breathtaking but walking the perimeter of the ruins and looking in was too. It was and still is, an architectural masterpiece which, for better or worse, has withstood invasions, wars, fire and "organized" looting and pillaging. Despite all of this, she still stands--rickety but she still stands. And yes, for a brief moment I closed my eyes and pretended that I was Nancy Drew on a mission to solve another mystery in an old abbey.

If you go:
Abbaye d'Aulne
Rue Emile Vandervelde 275
6534 Thuin, Belgium
+32 71 5954 54
www.abbayedaulne.be

Open from 1 April-30 September Wednesday-Sunday from 13.00-18.00
Open every day during school holidays
Adults 4 Euro, children over age 12 3 Euro, under 12 Free