Villa Albert Sint-Arnolduspark Tiegem

The 'Villa Albert' with separate outbuilding was conceived around 1891 by Vital Moreels, founder and patron of the pilgrimage park, as a rental villa for artists. During the interwar period, the villa was also known as 'Villa Moortgat', named after the composer and composer Alfons Moortgat, who took up residence there from 1919.

Due to its location on the edge of the park, against a hillside of the Tiegemberg, a sophisticated visual relationship is created between the 'Villa Albert' and the lower spring meadow in the pilgrimage park. The iconic bay window and the roof ridge of the house, which the Flemish author Hugo Verriest described in 1903 as a "view house", form exclusive vantage points on the pilgrimage park.

Musician and composer Alfons Moortgat was of great importance for the artistic appearance of the Sint-Arnoldus Park during the interwar period. From the 'Villa Albert' he composed the open-air plays 'De Passie van Ons Heer' and 'Arnoldusspel', which were performed in the park in 1933 and 1935 respectively. For the performance of the Passion Play in 1933, the 'Villa Albert', with its iconic location from the spring meadow in the pilgrimage park, was temporarily converted into Pilate's Palace.

The artist's residence also formed a literary meeting place where Alfons Moortgat invited prominent writers such as Stijn Streuvels, Hugo Verriest and Ernest Claes. Painters such as Valerius De Saedeleer, Modest Huys and Gustave Van de Woestyne also visited the 'Villa Moortgat'.

Willem Vandenameele