Dominican Friary, Bruges on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
The Dominican friary in Bruges was a major religious institution in the city of Bruges with an extensive complex of buildings around two cloisters. The Dominicans were established there in 1234; their community was suppressed during the French occupation of Belgium in 1796. The State Archives in Bruges are now housed on part of the former site of the friary.
The Dominican friary in Bruges was a major religious institution in the city of Bruges with an extensive complex of buildings around two cloisters. The Dominicans were established there in 1234; their community was suppressed during the French occupation of Belgium in 1796. The State Archives in Bruges are now housed on part of the former site of the friary.
History
Joan, Countess of Flanders, granted the Dominicans a foundation in Bruges in 1234, and they quickly built a cloister and church. In the 1280s the Dominicans began work on a new, larger church, which wasconsecrated
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...
in 1311 and completed in 1320. Around 1330 a chapter house
A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room that is part of a cathedral, monastery or collegiate church in which meetings are held. When attached to a cathedral, the cathedral chapter meets there. In monasteries, the whole communi ...
was added. A serious fire in 1459 completely destroyed the library and one of the three dormitories, which were rebuilt. Between 1578 and 1584, during the Dutch Revolt
The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt ( nl, Nederlandse Opstand) (Historiography of the Eighty Years' War#Name and periodisation, c.1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and t ...
, the friary suffered extensive damage. The church was reconsecrated in 1584, but rebuilding works continued to the mid-17th century. A brewery was added to the complex in 1641.
In 1751 the city of Bruges extended a canal through the city centre, expropriating land from the Dominican friary in order to do so.
The church was closed in 1794, and in 1796 the friary was suppressed and its members disbanded. The church was demolished in 1801.
Later uses
Between 1796 and 1998 part of the complex was used as a barracks for theGendarmerie
Wrong info! -->
A gendarmerie () is a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (literally, ...
. Another part of the complex was in use as a hotel between 1905 and 1940. The latter was sequestered as a billet by the German forces of occupation during the Second World War. This part of the complex was used by the Belgian Red Cross from 1947 to 1992.
Such remnants of the friary buildings as survive have been listed as protected built heritage since 1980.
References
{{Reflist Dominican monasteries 1234 establishments in Europe 1796 disestablishments in Europe 18th-century disestablishments in the Southern Netherlands