Forest Abbey
Encyclopedia
Forest Abbey is a Benedictine Abbey founded in 1105, beside a creek, a tributary of the Seine
, southwes of the city of Brussels
, Belgium
in the commune of Forest
.
, which had been the ecclesiastical owners of the parish since the bishop of Cambrai ceded it to them in 1105, decided to build a priory
for women in Forest, Forest Abbey. The first abbess of the Forest priory was named in 1239. Also in the 13th century, the Romanesque church of Saint Denis was rebuilt in the newer Gothic
style. The neighbouring abbatial church was rebuilt in the 15th century.
The abbey was abolished in 1796 and sold the following year. The buildings that survived the dismantling are now a cultural center for seminars, banquets and exhibitions belonging to the Brussels commune of Forest. The Abbey and the site were classified as a historical monument in 1994.
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
, southwes of the city of Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
in the commune of Forest
Forest, Belgium
Forest or Vorst is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium.The town is commonly known for its concert hall...
.
History
The abbots of AffligemAffligem
Affligem is a municipality located some west-north-west of Brussels in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, not far from the town of Aalst and the important railway junction of Denderleeuw....
, which had been the ecclesiastical owners of the parish since the bishop of Cambrai ceded it to them in 1105, decided to build a priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
for women in Forest, Forest Abbey. The first abbess of the Forest priory was named in 1239. Also in the 13th century, the Romanesque church of Saint Denis was rebuilt in the newer Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style. The neighbouring abbatial church was rebuilt in the 15th century.
The abbey was abolished in 1796 and sold the following year. The buildings that survived the dismantling are now a cultural center for seminars, banquets and exhibitions belonging to the Brussels commune of Forest. The Abbey and the site were classified as a historical monument in 1994.