Dendermonde Abbey

Belgium

Dendermonde Abbey or the Abbey of Saints Peter and Paul (founded 1837) is a Benedictine monastery in Dendermonde (Belgium), which played a role in the Liturgical Movement in Belgium.

In 1837, under the leadership of Dom Veremundus D’Haens, the community of Affligem Abbey, dispersed since 1796, re-established their conventual life in buildings bought from the committee for the relief of poverty in the town of Dendermonde. These buildings were the site of a former Capuchin house, founded 1596 and suppressed in 1797. The church attached to the buildings had been reopened as a public chapel in 1815. In 1841 the community in Dendermonde was recognised as the continuation of the community founded in Affligem in the 12th century. A royal order of 1842 reserved the abbey church for public use. By 1846 there were twelve monks in the community, and in 1850 the monastery was incorporated into the Cassinese Congregation.

Most of the original conventual buildings in Dendermonde were destroyed by fire in 1914, but the church remained standing. Rebuilding commenced in 1919 and was completed in 1924, in Flemish Neo-Renaissance style. In 1939 the abbey church became a basilica.

In 1945 a school was established that was closed in 2000. The school buildings were demolished in 2019 to be replaced by flats.

Contact

Abdij St. Pieter & Paulus
email
abdij@abdijdendermonde.be
address
Vlasmarkt 23
phone
052 33 87 80