Abdij van Herkenrode

About the museum

Count Gerard van Loon lost his battle with the prince-bishop of Liège in 1179 and moved his centre of power from Borgloon to Kuringen. Near his new castle he had an abbey founded as a burial place for himself and his descendants. His son Lodewijk II married Ada, Countess of Holland, in 1203, and she may have chosen a Cistercian nuns' abbey. After its admission to the Cistercian Order in 1217, Herkenrode grew into one of the most influential abbeys in the Low Countries and a place of pilgrimage, thanks among other things to the relics of Saint Ursula and the Holy Sacrament of Miracle.

Between 1510 and 1568 the abbey enjoyed its golden age, with stained glass, church textiles, paintings and majolica tiles. In the 18th century the abbesses lived like princesses. The French Revolution brought an end to six hundred years of Cistercian nuns in 1796; the site was sold and used for a textile and sugar factory and for agriculture. In 1826 the church burned down, and the historic heart of the abbey was eventually demolished entirely.

In 1972 the Regular Canons of the Holy Sepulchre bought the abbesses' residences and the park; the last sisters moved out in 2023. The abbey was protected as a monument in 1974. In the late 1990s the Flemish government bought about a hundred hectares of the site; since 5 January 2022 Toerisme Vlaanderen has owned the entire estate, and Herita manages the opening to the public together with the city of Hasselt.

Today you visit the abbey via the Sleutelroute, an experience trail past the buildings, for which you are given a key. On the site of the vanished abbey church stands Clausura, a large artwork in weathering steel by the duo Gijs Van Vaerenbergh. The historic mill, an English garden and an infirmary can also be seen.

Highlights

• Sleutelroute: an experience trail past the abbey buildings
• Clausura, an artwork in weathering steel on the site of the abbey church
• Historic abbey mill, English garden and infirmary
• Guided tours “De mirakels van Herkenrode” and “Op stap met de abdis”
• Abbey shop with regional products and Herkenrode speculoos
• Restaurant De Paardenstallen on the estate

Permanent exhibitions

• Sleutelroute Abdij van Herkenrode – Experience trail past the various buildings of the abbey, where you open doors to hidden places with a key.
• Clausura – Large artwork in weathering steel by the duo Gijs Van Vaerenbergh on the site of the vanished abbey church; always open to view.

Operated by

Herita (eigenaar Toerisme Vlaanderen)

Admission & discounts

Herita members and INTO members enter free. Hasselt residents with a UiTPAS Regio Hasselt get €6 off individual tickets; with the social rate (kansentarief), a resident pays €3.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The abbey is a historic site where adaptations have been made to make the visit as accessible as possible. Several adapted toilets are available on the estate. Parking at the Poortgebouw (gatehouse) is reserved for people with disabilities. For group tours, all buildings are wheelchair-accessible.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The Sleutelroute is an experience trail full of play, mystery and miracles for the whole family. There is a family ticket for €45, and children from the age of 3 pay €9.

Getting there & parking

Via the E313, take exit 27 (Hasselt-West), follow the N2 towards Herk-de-Stad and turn right after Decathlon towards the car park. The abbey lies between cycle network nodes 94 and 237 of the Limburg cycle network. Bicycles must be walked on the grounds during visiting hours.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop

Restaurant De Paardenstallen serves breakfast, lunch and drinks. The abbey shop sells regional products such as Herkenrode speculoos, abbey beer, honey and flour from the abbey mill. Picnicking is allowed only on the benches or at the tables by the Oud Abdissenverblijf (Old Abbesses' Residence).

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit