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Saint Cornelius and Saint Cyprian Abbey in Ninove

Haaltert, Italy

Saint Cornelius and Saint Cyprian Abbey in Ninove

Ninove Abbey (Dutch: Abdij van Sint-Cornelius en Sint-Cyprianus) was a monastery of the Premonstratensian Order in the center of Ninove, in the province of East Flanders, Belgium. Only the abbey church now remains. The parish church at Ninove was converted into a Premonstratensian Abbey in 1137 by G

erard I, Lord of Ninove, in remembrance of his wife Gisela and himself. The abbey was a filiation from Park Abbey outside Leuven. The monks settled on uncultivated lands which had been offered to them by the lord of Ninove which were near the town, on the banks of the river Dender. The community continued to grow and its financial position soon allowed it to occupy the adjacent parishes. The lay brothers undertook the farm work. The original abbey church was dedicated in 1174 and was built in Romano-Gothic style. Between 1578 and 1580, the church and abbey buildings were severely damaged. The remains of the church were demolished in 1623. A temporary chapel was built in 1635. The construction of the current Baroque church started in 1640, after Abbot Jan David brought back the plan for construction from Rome in 1628. Due to financing problems, however, the works did not progress for decades...

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