The Abbey of Herkenrode

Nederlandse versie

		Escutcheon of Herkenrode after a drawing of Francis Goole.

Herkenrode like it used to be

Founded around 1182 by Gerard, Count of Loon, the territory was part of his important fortune and he sold it to advantage to a certain Brother Hendrik from the Abbey of Aulne (Hainault).
According to some historiographers, the count donated the land, stipulating that a convent of Cistercian nuns was to be founded on it.

Gate-House The Farmstead The Mill The Chapel The Abbey Church The Infirmary The lost Brewery The Convent The Residence of the Abbess

The county of Loon extended over an area that was almost as big as the present province of Limburg. The counts wanted to enlarge their influence by acquiring land of the Bartholomew chapter, and afterwards they wanted an enormous abbey on their land.
When their citadel in Borgloon was destroyed, the counts built a castle in Kuringen and chose Herkenrode as graveyard.
Finally, in 1217, Herkenrode was officially admitted to the Order of Citeaux; it was the first and biggest abbey of this order in the Netherlands which was occupied by women.. As early as 1218 the abbey acquired the right to levy tithes of Kuringen and several other parishes. The abbey was richly endowed with innumerable donations of properties by the counts of Loon. That is how it soon became one of the wealthiest institutions of the whole country. The land counted more than 3,000 ha and many farms. The growth and wealth of
Herkenrode are also due to the fact that most nuns came from rich and important families from the county of Loon. When they entered the convent, they brought donations and gifts, so that the furniture and upholstering of the convent became richer and richer.
Herkenrode was said to be a noble convent, but, in spite of many
endeavours, it didn't become one.
From 1317, the abbey became known as a place of pilgrimage, because of the legend of the Miracle of the Holy Sacrament. This legend tells the story of the curate of Viversel - a nearby village - , who had been sent for to give a sick man the Last Sacraments. During his visit, the host was manipulated by uninitiated people, as a result of which the
host got soiled with blood. The priest was at his wit's end. After consulting his superior, he
was charged to bring the soiled host to Herkenrode. During his trip he ran into a flock of sheep, all of which suddenly kneeled down. When he came to the abbey, the great bell rang, without anyone having touched it. As it happened, the mass was celebrated by Adam, a monk of Aulne. The nuns were singing and when the chaplain entered with the host, the priest saying mass turned at the altar and fell on his knees, although he didn't know what the chaplain was carrying.
When the latter put the ciborium with the host on the altar, the Saviour showed Himself in the shape of a beautiful youth, with a crown of thorns on his head that glittered strikingly.. Those present were in raptures and began to pray intensely. A woman who was obsessed by evil spirits suddenly got well again. These facts made of Herkenrode a place
of pilgrimage, where a big procession takes place every year at Corpus Christi. The Holy Host was exhibited in a beautiful monstrance, and a lot of other miracles happened.
The Holy Host went through a real calvary. War , plundering soldiers and also the French Revolution caused the Holy Host to be removed to Hasselt in 1804, where it is still kept.

As far as the buildings are concerned Herkenrode had, as a member of the 'Ordre de Citeaux', to adhere to strict instructions. The convent had to be established in a remote area, far from any other habitation and outside of its gate no other edifice was to be built.
There are few traces left of the buildings which were erected from the 12th till the 15th century.
Pillages and many devastations at the beginning of the 16th century led to an intense construction activity. Abbess Mathilde de Lechy was pushed by an enormous urge to renovate: until 1538 a lot of renovations in late Gothic and early Renaissance style were carried out Also in this period, prince-bishop Erard van der Marck had the castle of Kuringen rebuilt to a sumptuous country-seat, after years of neglect.

On the impressive gate-house of the abbey (1531) we can see the escutcheons of abbess Mathilde and of prince-bishop Erard van der Mark. During the 18th century, hundreds of breads were distributed to the poor here every day.

The farmstead includes a private house, stables and a big tithe-barn with the escutcheon of abbess Anne-Cathérine de Lamboy (1653-1675) saying: 'Pie et Provide'. Alluding to the tithes stored in the barn, she also had the words 'L'abonDanCe De DIeV ' chiselled . The capitals LDCDDIV are a chronogram for the year 1656, in which abbess de Lamboy had the barn rebuilt. The two outside corners are flanked with towers, one of which is still there and used to be a dovecote for carrier-pigeons.

The abbey-mill on the Demer bank was used until the first half of the 20th century. The road that perpendicularly opens out on the barn passes the place where once stood the abbey church. The small, square building on the right is a cemetery chapel. The church is
decorated with the escutcheons of Anne-Cathérine de Lamboy.
The art objects of the church are spread all over: the magnificent leaded windows were placed in the cathedral of Lichfield (England) in 1802, the organ went to Leuven, the high altar - a concept of J. Delcour - and two abbesses' mausoleums were transferred to the Churh of Our Lady in Hasselt in 1803. All this happened after the sale of the abbey in
pursuance of the regulations after the French Revolution in 1797. Guillaume Claes and Pierre de Liboton were the new owners. They fit up the buildings for industrial purposes. The abbey church was transformed into a textile works. In 1826, it was ravaged by a fire and in 1843 it was demolished.

One still remaining building, the famous "Hospital", dates back to 1658. Beside it was the 16th century abbess's residence and the new one from the 18th century. This beautiful building was fit up by Guillaume Claes as "his castle of Herkenrode" with a beautiful park behind it.

Finally, we have to mention that Herkenrode was classified by the Royal Decree of December the 5th 1974 as a monument and a landscape of more than 200 ha.

Herkenrode nowadays

In 1972, a part of the land and the buildings belonging to it, were bought by the canonesses of the Holy Grave (priory of Bilzen). The 18th century abbess residence was restored and adapted to its new function as a retreat-house. Situated in a peaceful environment, it is open to the public for retreat sessions, reflection and conferences.

In 1984, restoration and 'fill-in' architecture converted the 16th century residence into a convent for the sisters. Two years later, architect Lucas Van Herck built the new chapel, inspired by the Basilica of the Holy Grave in Jerusalem. Precisely there, at the grave of the
Risen Lord, the Order of the Holy Grave found its roots and its inspiration. The sisters are zealous for the edification of the Church and Her mission. They therefore live in community, celebrate the liturgy and are subservient to the people.

On May 12th 1998, after many years of laborious negotiations, the Flemish Region became the new owner of the remaining part of the buildings and the land (about 100 ha). One intends to let the 'Foundation for Flemish Patrimony' hold the buildings on long lease. Pending the final destination, the most urgent restorations, e.g. those of the famous barn and the abbey mill are about to take place. The environment will be looked after by the Nature Department. The Department wants to create a half-open landscape, in which a few horses and bulls will graze and it wants to offer a natural biotope to rare species of birds.

The main part of the land stays exclusively accessible to promenaders and cyclists. A beautiful and hopeful future lies ahead!

(last modification January 2002)

For more information about this website, please contact Maurice Reymen or Jozef Berx