Westmalle Abbey

Description

Westmalle Abbey is a monastery of the Cistercians of Strict Observance. The community was founded in 1794 and elevated to an abbey on 22 April 1836. It is the home of the Westmalle Brewery, a Trappist beer brewery.

Up to today the Trappist abbey of Westmalle remains a remarkable element and continues its activities as a monastery and a brewery.

The abbey has a rich an old patrimony containing old master paintings and valuable manuscripts by important artists Frans Francken the Elder, Albrecht Dürer, Jacob van Baelen, Constantin Meunier, Willem Vorsterman, Louis Grosse, Maerten de Vos, Jan Erasmus Quellinus, and others.