• 1146

    In 1146, knight Gauthier de Marbais and his mother Judith invited monks from Clairvaux Abbey (France) to found a new abbey on their lands. A small group of 17 monks settled in Villers.

    An abbey is founded in Villers
  • 1147

    The future Saint Bernard of Clairvaux visits the young community of Villers.

    Bernard de Clairvaux's visit
  • 1197

    A new Romanesque-style construction site began in 1197. Twelve years later, the abbey adopted the Gothic style. Its construction took nearly a century to complete.

    Construction of a new abbey
  • 1219

    The former abbot of Villers, Conrad of Urach, was appointed cardinal. It is said that he later refused to become pope.

    Conrad of Urach
  • 1231

    Foundation by Villers of a daughter abbey in Grandpré (followed in 1237 by another foundation in Saint-Bernard sur l’Escaut.).

    Grandpré
  • 1263

    Burial in the cloister of Gobert of Aspremont, a former crusader who became a monk.

    Gobert d'Aspremont
  • 1270

    Under the leadership of Abbot Arnulphe de Gistelles, the abbey had 100 monks and 300 lay brothers. During this period of great wealth, the monastery was home to around 400 religious men and owned nearly 10,000 hectares of land.

    First Golden Age of the Abbey
  • 1309

    It is the richest Cistercian catalog in volumes in Europe.

    439 book titles in the library
  • 1508

    Starting in 1508, the year of the first invasion, and until the end of the 17th century, the monks had to leave the abbey nine times due to insecurity. During their absence, bricks from the abbey were used to renovate the damaged buildings.

    Invasions: the monks leave the abbey
  • 1715-1784

    The 18th century marks the second golden age of the abbey. The medieval buildings were renovated in the Neoclassical style. The abbatial palace and its gardens were built.

    Construction of Neoclassical buildings
  • 1796

    The French Revolution drove the monks away. In 1794, the abbey was ransacked and looted, then sold to a materials merchant who dismantled it piece by piece. Nature and rain did the rest... The abbey fell into ruins.

    Destruction of the abbey
  • 1830

    The majestic ruins attracted romantics and royalty throughout the 19th century. Victor Hugo, who visited the abbey five times in the 1860s, sketched the ruins of the guesthouse/brewery.

    Villers-la-Romantique
  • 1854-1855

    The Ottignies-Charleroi railway line was built, bringing the first tourists to the abbey. As public awareness of heritage preservation was still low, the railway line ran right through the abbot's palace gardens.

    The first tourists
  • 1893-1914

    The State, owner of the site for a year, began a major restoration and consolidation project. Under the direction of Belgian architect Charles Licot in 1893, the abbey church nave was cleared, and the cut stones were sorted.

    Restoration of the abbey
  • 1972

    In 1972, the ruins were listed as a historical monument. With 650 years of monastic occupation, they bear witness to the evolution of architectural styles.

    Historical monument
  • 1992

    In 1992, the abbey was designated as exceptional heritage of Wallonia. The entire estate has been preserved: its 50,000 m² of above-ground walls and 5,000 m² of Romanesque and Gothic vaults make it one of the largest archaeological sites in Belgium.

  • 2016

    Inauguration of the new visitor center and the new tour route: reunification of the estate to its medieval extent.

    Enhancement works
  • 2024

    Today, after the monks, the poor, and the pilgrims, the Abbey continues to attract 160,000 visitors per year, in search of escape, relaxation, or spirituality.

    Over 160,000 visitors per year...