Forest Abbey

The site of Forest Abbey, whose history dates back to the Middle Ages, forms the historic heart of the municipality of Forest, together with the town hall. The abbey was founded in 1106 and owned a lot of land in and around Brussels. The site has been classified as a historical monument since 1994. It is a key element of the region’s former religious landscape. The building has a fascinating and often troubled past. Indeed, it was successively struck by the plague epidemics, by the religious wars in the 16th century, by a fire in 1764 and finally by the French Revolution which led to its dismantling in 1790. Around 1810, the abbey church and the cloister were demolished, leaving only the more recent buildings designed by architect Dewez. The site is currently being refurbished into ABY, which is set to become a highly diversified cultural centre.

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