Abbaye de Villers-la-Ville

TODAY BRIAN AND I DID SOME EXPLORING.  WE FOUND OURSELVES ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTHEAST AT THE ABBEY DE VILLERS-LA-VILLE.  THIS ABBY WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT IN 1146.  NONE OF THE ORIGINAL BUILDINGS EXIST TODAY.  IT WAS COMPLETELY REBUILT BY THE END OF THE 13TH CENTURY.  IN THOSE DAYS THERE WERE NO FEWER THAN 100 MONKS AND SEVERAL HUNDRED LAY BROTHERS LIVING ON THE SITE.  DURING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION IT WAS SOLD OFF AS A NATIONAL PROPERTY.   


ONE MAJOR RESTORATION OCCURRED IN 1893 AND THEN NOT AGAIN UNTIL 1984.


IT WAS JUST AMAZING TO WALK AROUND THIS PROPERTY.  THEY MUST LIGHT IT UP AT NIGHT AS I DID SEE SOME LIGHT FIXTURES THROUGHOUT.  AND THERE WERE SOME CHAIRS SET UP IN THE CHURCH ITSELF SO THEY MUST HAVE SERVICES.  

MONK'S REFECTORY - 13TH CENTURY 

THE CLOISTERS 

THE CHURCH - 1267 

100 YARDS LONG, THE NAVE VAULTS REACHING UP TO 70 FEET.  CONSTRUCTION STARTED IN 1197 AND COMPLETED IN 1267;  WAS ONE OF THE FIRST GOTHIC STYLE STRUCTURES IN THIS PART OF BELGIUM. 

STONE WAS TAKEN FROM THE SURROUNDING LAND.  THE MONKS CHOSE THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE OF THE ABUNDANCE OF STONE, WATER AND IT'S SECLUSION. 

LOOKS LIKE THERE WERE STAIRS HERE AT SOME POINT. 

THE WORKSHOPS - BUILT IN THE 18TH CENTURY.  THIS HOUSED A LAUNDRY ROOM, STABLES, A FORGE AS WELL AS THE CARPENTER & CABINET MAKERS SHOPS. 

INITIALLY DISAPPOINTED IN THE OVER-EXPOSURE OF THIS PICTURE BUT AFTER CHANGING THE COLOR I THINK IT LOOKS REALLY COOL 

THE CHURCH

OVERVIEW.  CHURCH IN BACKGROUND. 

THE MODERN WORLD SNEAKS BY 

BRIAN 

OLD VERSUS NEW 

A MAP OF HOW IT WOULD HAVE LOOKED WITH ROOFS