Abdij van ʹt Park

Park Abbey (Dutch: Abdij van Park; also Parc Abbey) is a Premonstratensian abbey in Belgium, at Heverlee just south of Leuven , in Flemish Brabant.

The Annales Parchenses were written here in the 12th century.

The abbey was founded in 1129 by Duke Godfrey, surnamed "Barbatus" ("the Bearded"), who possessed an immense park near Leuven and had invited the Premonstratensians to take possession of a small church he had built there.

The abbey frequently suffered during the wars waged by William of Orange and the Calvinists.

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.

Nowadays it is the best preserved abbey in Belgium. Of particular interest are the Museum Park Abbey and the archives, the premier museum for religious art and culture in Flanders.

Tuesday - Sunday from 10h to 17h
Closed on Mondays and public holidays