Park Abbey
Description
Park Abbey was founded in 1129 by Duke Godfrey, who possessed an immense park near Leuven and had invited the Premonstratensians to take possession of a small church he had built there.
Abbot Philip and his successors enlarged the buildings and prepared the land for agriculture in the late 12th century. At the time there a canon living in the abbey, Blessed Rabado, whose devotion to the Passion was attested by miracles.
Abbot Gerard van Goetsenhoven (1414–34) had much to do with the establishment of the Catholic University of Leuven, and was also delegated by John IV, Duke of Brabant to transact state affairs with the King of England and the Duke of Burgundy. Abbot van Tulden (1462–94) was successful in his action against commendatory abbots being imposed on religious houses in Belgium. Abbot van den Berghe (1543–58) managed the contributions levied in support of the Belgian theologians present at the resumed Council of Trent.
The abbey frequently suffered during the wars waged by William of Orange and the Calvinists. Under Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor, the abbey was confiscated, because Abbot Wauters (died in 1792) refused to send his religious to the general seminary erected by the emperor at Leuven. In the successful revolution against the emperor, the religious returned to their abbey. Wauters was succeeded by Melchior Nysmans (1793–1810).
Under the French Republic the abbey was confiscated again on 1 February 1797. At the request of the people the church was declared to be a parish church and was thus saved. The abbey was bought by a friendly layman who wished to preserve it for the religious, in better times. One of the canons, in the capacity of parish priest, remained in or near the abbey.
When Belgium was made a kingdom and religious freedom was restored, the surviving religious resumed community life and elected Peter Ottoy, then rural dean of Diest, as their superior.
Today Park Abbey is an exceptionally well preserved 12th-century heritage site on the outskirts, surrounded by green space. It is open to the public.
Address
Abdij van Park 7, Leuven, Belgium
Established
1129
Wikipedia article
Show on Google Maps