Sint-Pieterskerk, Bertem

The first stone of the monastery was laid down in 1489 by Margarete van York (Margaret of York), the widow of Karel de Stoute (Charles the Bold). The build took until 1530, but the first Carthusian monks arrived in 1491. At the beginning of the 18th century, severe war devastation and financial distress made the monastery obliged to rent out some of its land. In 1773, the congregation had to sell some of their grounds again. The abbey gave shelter to Austrian military troops in 1779 and a part of the complex got damaged due to an explosion of some of their ammunition. In 1783, monastic orders in the Southern Netherlands were abolished. The abbey was sold and repurposed as an ammunition depot. A second explosion in 1793 caused extensive damage to the buildings. In 1806, the church was demolished and the site was used by farmers and gardeners throughout the 19th century. In 1912, the monastery was bought by Armand Thiéry (1868-1955). He organized a restoration and sold the abbey in 1917 to the Capuchins. They renovated the grounds and a second restauration was conducted from 1968 until 1976.

The Grand Beguinage of Leuven is a well-preserved historical district and one of the largest remaining beguinages in Flanders. This beguinage was established in the early 13th century and the peak in the number of vocations was reached around 1650-1670 when the number of beguines exceeded 360. During the French Revolution, the beguinage was not sold as a national asset, as was the case with the monasteries. The last beguinage died in 1988.

In 1299, the clergy of the Sint-Pieterskerk (St. Peter’s Church) built a chapel at the foot of the Ramberg, in the center of Louvain. After the university of Louvain was established in 1425, the Artes faculty became the owner of the chapel. From the 16th century onwards, there was a worship of Sint-Antonius van Egypte (Saint Anthony of Egypt). Because of his popularity, the chapel was called Sint-Antoniuskapel (Saint Anthony’s Chapel). In 1617, the chapel was constructed in the late Gothic style as it is now. Restorations took place in the 18th century. In 1797, the French administration closed the chapel and it could be rented by religious groups from 1847 to 1853. In 1860, the chapel was sold and bought by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. They renovated the chapel and opened it in 1861. In 1936, the remains of the most famous Belgian missionary and saint, Jozef De Veuster, were transferred from Molokai (Hawaii) and placed in the crypt of the chapel. In 1960-1961, the chapel was rebuilt by the Congregation.