Mariënlof Abbey, Cistercian nunnery in Kerniel, Belgium

Mariënlof Abbey is a nunnery in Kerniel organized around a central courtyard surrounded by stone buildings with large windows. The layout follows traditional Cistercian design with distinct areas for prayer, daily work, and living quarters.

The monastery was founded in 1438 by Maria van Colen as a religious community dedicated to the Holy Cross order. It transformed into a Cistercian nunnery in the early 1800s.

The name Mariënlof means "In praise of Mary". The chapel's oak choir stalls, carved around 1764, carry sixteen painted scenes of the legend of Saint Odilia by Liège painter Martin Aubée, who worked here from 1764 to 1777. The abbey also keeps a painted shrine of Saint Odilia from 1292, one of the earliest panel paintings in the Low Countries.

The last three sisters left in July 2020, so there are no resident nuns to lead tours. The site was bought by a property developer and is to be redeveloped; access to the chapel and service buildings is not guaranteed. The Fruitstreekmuseum in the former stables and the gatehouse of 1696 are the parts most often open.

The chapel's oak choir stalls, carved around 1764, carry sixteen painted panels by Liège Baroque painter Martin Aubée depicting the legend of Saint Odilia. Aubée worked at the monastery from 1764 to 1777; his wall paintings also survive in the sacristy, alongside stucco work by a member of the Moretti family and a large vestment cupboard.