Former Ursuline Convent

Once upon a time in Zaventem, near the Saventerlo, there existed a significant agricultural estate, known as Hof ter Heide. COSYN confused this estate with Hotel de la Ferme, while WAUTERS believed it was the yoga setting. MAES clarified that both were mistaken. Their error stemmed from the fact that Hof ter Heide and the subject property shared the same owner for a time, namely Jan vander Meeren, related to the knightly family of Zaventem.
Jan's children were: a son, also named Jan, Ursula, Elisabeth, Margriete, and Katelyne. Margriete became the wife of Engelbert van Ophem, and Katelyne married Jan van den Sande. Upon the death of their father, on August 1, 1549, the children sold a house and estate with stables and orchards, located on Hoogstraat, to Leonard Lemmens and Lucia van Ophem. Previously, this Leonard had received a residence from his uncle, Mr. Jan Bakhuys, hereditary parishioner of Zaventem, next to the aforementioned (will dated January 10, 1547). At that time, three houses stood there, which were merged into a single estate. Amelrik Moriaens, married to Maria Lemmens; Antoon Moriaens, his son, and Hendrik van Ophem, husband of Anna Lemmens, succeeded the aforementioned Leonard. Hendrik van Ophem conducted prosperous business; when he died in 1649, he left his children a rich inheritance. Among them were Jan van Ophem, canon and vice-curate of St. Gudula Church in Brussels; Gielis van Ophem, tenant in Kraainem; as well as four daughters, Cecilia, Anna, Lucia, and Willemyne. Among the estates to be divided were three farm estates, two adjacent in the location of what would later become the Ursuline Convent, the third a little further, where we now find St. Anthony's Convent. The easternmost of the first two estates was sold in 1678 by the joint heirs to Count Frans de Boisschot, lord of Zaventem, and remained in the family 100 years later. The western estate was divided among the heirs until by 1718 only two owners remained, namely Gaspar Plarteborse, son of Jan and Maria van Ophem; and Geertruid Veldeken, daughter of Frans and Anna van Ophem. They sold their farm to Hendrik de Wandeleer and his daughter Katarina, each for half (April 25, 1718). Katarina entered into marriage with Willem van der Maelen; their children divested themselves of the estate in favor of Jan Huyghe and Maria van der Smissen (1763) for the modest price of 377 guilders in change. One of the children, Antoon van der Maelen, soon demanded restitution due to a debt and obtained it. He sold half to Gillis van Steenwinckel (1764), but this one sold it back to him in 1778; another part was then owned by Anna van der Maelen, widow of Kornelis de Reughe. The assets that once belonged to the lordship had passed through Konigsegg to the Countess of Zierotin, who through marriage became Countess of Tassis. Thus, the assets came into the hands of Paul van Remoortere-Tassis, whose possessions were confiscated in 1814. The majority of the dependencies of the former lordship were purchased by Mrs. Vloebergh, the later founder of the convent.
In 1850-60, the buildings east of Hotel de la Ferme belonged to Mrs. Jan-Karel de Viron, a widow and rentee in Brussels. It was here that in 1819, under the influence of then-pastor Stappers, the groundwork was laid for the intended Ursuline Convent, which would eventually reach a high bloom. Among the foremost benefactors of the first hour were Mrs. Katarina Vloebergh and her cousin Theresia Aerts from Nossegem, as well as Mrs. Maria Grietens. The Ursulines maintained a boarding school for the youth, with internal and external education.

Gemeente Zaventem