Abbaye du Jardinet

Abbaye du Jardinet is the remains of a former Cistercian monastery located in Walcourt, in the province of Namur, Belgium. Although only fragments of the original buildings survive today, the site carries the memory of nearly six centuries of monastic life, along with the legend that gave it its name.

Where does the name and founding legend come from?

The abbey's history is intertwined with a story dating back to 1228, when a fire ravaged the collegiate church of Walcourt. The building was almost entirely destroyed, but according to legend, an image of the Virgin Mary rose above the flames and came to rest on a tree some distance away, in a spot known as "le Jardinet" (literally "the little garden"). The townspeople turned to their local lord, Thierry II of Walcourt, who arrived at the scene, knelt down, and made a vow: he would establish a monastery on that spot and rebuild the burned church. This story remains part of local tradition and links the abbey's name to the place where the miraculously spared image was said to have settled.

How and when was the abbey founded?

Thierry II of Walcourt (1192–1234) kept his promise. As early as 1229, he took under his protection a group of nuns belonging to the Cistercian order, who settled in the chapel of Jardinet, built at his expense. The formal founding charter of the abbey of Cistercian nuns dates to 1232. The founder provided the community with means of subsistence: twelve gardens on which to build the monastery, fishing and grazing rights, milling rights at his mills, and lands known as "Baileu". Over time the female community was replaced by monks, and the monastery continued to operate for centuries as an important religious center in the region.

What happened to it?

Like many monastic communities across Europe, the abbey's existence was cut short by the French Revolution. The last monks were expelled from the monastery in 1793, and the abandoned building was subsequently set on fire by revolutionaries. Since then, the former abbey has gradually fallen into ruin, and what remains of the original structures today offers only a fragmentary glimpse of its former importance.

What still connects Jardinet to Walcourt today?

The memory of Thierry II's vow has outlasted the abbey itself in local religious tradition. Since the 13th century, every year on Trinity Sunday, the people of Walcourt hold the "Grand Tour Notre-Dame," a procession commemorating the promise made to the Virgin Mary — to build the monastery at Jardinet and to rebuild the burned church. Known locally as one of the oldest folk religious processions in the region, this tradition ties the history of the ruins to a practice still very much alive in the town today. The Basilica of Saint-Materne in Walcourt, rebuilt after the 1228 fire, remains the central reference point of the legend.

Frequently asked questions

Can the abbey ruins be visited today? The site consists of the historical remains of a former monastery — it is worth checking local tourism information regarding access before a visit.

Why is the abbey called "Jardinet"? The name refers to the spot where, according to the 1228 legend, the image of the Virgin Mary that survived the fire was said to have come to rest, as well as to the gardens granted to the founding community by Thierry II.

Which religious order lived in the abbey? It was a Cistercian monastery, first home to nuns and later to monks.

When did the abbey cease to exist? The community was dissolved in 1793 during the French Revolution, and the buildings were burned down by revolutionaries.