Pensionnat des Religieuses Bernardines
THE ABANDONED MONASTERY IN BELGIUM
Explore this religious complex named ‘Pensionnat des Religieuses Bernardines’. It is an old monastery that has been abandoned for years.
In a small Belgium village, I found this old monastery. It is built on the exact spot of the 13th century ‘Château de la Morlière’ owned by the counts of Arberg. Eventually it became a boarding school for Bernardine Sisters in 1860.
Bernardines
The Bernardines are a female religious congregation. The sisters apply the way of life proposed by St Bernard and finds its origins in the 12th century in the north of France. In 1879 politics, hostile to religious people, worried the Bernadines. They think about a home abroad in order to find refuge in the event of need. In July 1883, they opened this boarding school in Ollignies. This became their mother house in 1904.
The central part of the castle dates back to the 18th century, the lateral wings were later added by the nuns in the 19th century. The monastery became the mother house of the sisters in 1902, when they were expelled from other monasteries in France.
Devresse
Later, the site was sold to Devresse, a company that manufactures home furnishings. They set up their offices, show-rooms, stocks and workshops in 1960. ‘Pensionnat des Religieuses Bernardines’ was abandoned in 2013.
The Orangery of the Château has undergone a complete facelift. Renovated and transformed into a restaurant, the place welcomed its first customers in 2023. I visited this complex in 2017.
