Abbaye de Brialmont

Abbaye de Brialmont is a former Trappistine abbey perched on a rocky spur above the Ourthe valley in Tilff, part of the municipality of Esneux in the province of Liège. The site blends the history of a medieval castle with the story of one of Belgium's last communities of Cistercian nuns, making it an unusual but rewarding stop along the Ourthe river.

Where does the name Brialmont come from?

The story of this site begins long before the abbey itself. The castle on this rocky spur was founded in the 13th century by Eustache de Hamal. In the 14th century it passed to the de Brialmont family, from whom the entire estate takes the name it still carries today. Ownership later changed hands several times, passing to the Mélotte de Lavaux family and subsequently to the d'Otreppe de Bouvette family.

How did the castle become a monastery?

The turning point in the site's history came in the mid-20th century. The religious community that would eventually settle here was founded in 1934 as a women's priory in Sorée, in the province of Namur. In 1940 the priory gained affiliation with the Cistercian order. The decisive moment came in 1956, when the d'Otreppe de Bouvette family donated the old castle at Tilff to the nuns. In August 1961 the community relocated from Sorée to this new home, and the monastery was raised to the rank of abbey at that time. In 1975 the community formally became Trappistines, the stricter observance branch of the Cistercian order.

Where exactly is the abbey located?

Abbaye de Brialmont lies in the Tilff section of the municipality of Esneux, roughly fifteen kilometers south of Liège. The buildings stand on a rocky spur that clearly overlooks the village of Tilff and the Ourthe valley below, giving the site a distinctive, picturesque character — a combination of a former noble residence's architecture with the quiet of a monastery and a view over the river.

What is happening at the abbey today?

Monastic life at Brialmont came to an end in 2026, when the last six sisters left the abbey. This closes a chapter of nearly sixty years of Trappistine presence at the site, dating back to the community's transfer from Sorée in 1961. The building itself, with its 13th-century origins as a fortified castle and its later monastic role, remains a witness to the long and layered history of the Liège region — from medieval noble families, through successive landowners, to the more recent story of religious life in Belgium.

Frequently asked questions

What is Abbaye de Brialmont? It is a former Trappistine abbey housed in the buildings of an old castle, located on a rocky spur above the Ourthe valley in Tilff (municipality of Esneux).

Who founded the castle on which the abbey was later built? The castle was founded in the 13th century by Eustache de Hamal, and in the following century it passed to the de Brialmont family.

When did the religious community arrive in Tilff? The sisters moved from the priory in Sorée to the castle in Tilff in August 1961, after the estate was donated to them in 1956 by the d'Otreppe de Bouvette family.

Is the abbey still an active monastery? No — in 2026 the last six sisters left Brialmont, ending several decades of Trappistine presence at the site.