Tongerlo Abbey, Premonstratensian monastery in Westerlo, Belgium
Tongerlo Abbey is a Premonstratensian monastery in Belgium with a church and convent buildings arranged around courtyards and linked by covered passages, showing Gothic architectural features. The site spreads across woodland grounds with gardens, water features, and open spaces that support both community life and visitor access.
The monastery was established in the early 1100s and received its founding monks from an Antwerp monastery to strengthen religious life in the region. Over subsequent centuries, it became a major religious center and adapted to changes while maintaining its monastic traditions.
The monastery serves as a working religious community where daily worship shapes the rhythm of life on its grounds. Visitors can sense how the routines of prayer and contemplation have remained central to how people use and experience this place.
The site is accessible by car or public bus, with stops positioned right at the entrance for easy arrival. Visitors should plan time to walk the grounds, as buildings and gardens spread across the property and a slow pace helps you notice the details and layout.
The on-site museum holds a 16th-century copy of Leonardo's Last Supper that preserves original details that have faded from the painting in Milan. This version offers visitors a glimpse of what Leonardo's composition looked like when first completed, before age and restoration altered its appearance.
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