Notre-Dame de Leffe Abbey, Dinant, Belgium

The abbey of Leffe was founded in 1152 on the river Meuse in southern Belgium. Like many monasteries across Europe, the Premonstratensian (Norbertine) canons of the abbey brewed ale, starting in 1240. Using knowledge passed from generation to generation and ingredients found in the wild near the abbey, the canons developed a unique ale with a subtle taste and high alcohol content, brewed only at the abbey.

The abbey has been damaged by both natural and human circumstances over the years: it was destroyed by a flood in 1460, a fire swept through the settlement in 1466, billeted troops damaged the brewery in 1735, and the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1794 resulted in it being abandoned and the brewery destroyed. The canons returned in 1902.

User Reviews

Mara Pen (3 years ago)
Very interesting monastery to visit and learn a lot about the white monks.

Julie Nakazi (3 years ago)
Nice place! try the Leffe Ruby when you go there!

Agustin S (3 years ago)
Not too much too see

Md Tawhid Hossain (5 years ago)
What a lovely place!!

Luc Brands (5 years ago)
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The exact age of the Church of the Holy Cross is unknown, but it was built to serve as the monastery church of the Rauma Franciscan Friary. The monastery had been established in the early 15th century and a wooden church was built on this location around the year 1420.

The Church of the Holy Cross served the monastery until 1538, when it was abandoned for a hundred years as the Franciscan friary was disbanded in the Swedish Reformation. The church was re-established as a Lutheran church in 1640, when the nearby Church of the Holy Trinity was destroyed by fire.

The choir of the two-aisle grey granite church features medieval murals and frescoes. The white steeple of the church was built in 1816 and has served as a landmark for seafarers.

Notre-Dame de Leffe Abbey

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