Abdij van Beaulieu, Former Poor Clares abbey in Petegem, Wortegem-Petegem, Belgium

The Abdij van Beaulieu in Petegem, Wortegem-Petegem, is a former Poor Clares convent founded in 1290. The surviving buildings include a brick gatehouse with the arms of Guy of Dampierre above the portal, a guesthouse, and a chaplain's house. A round tower with a domed slate roof and weathervane stands between a long wing with rows of rectangular windows and a tall gabled section.

The convent was founded in 1290 by Isabella of Namur and became an important religious community in the region. It operated until 1783 when Emperor Joseph II dissolved the monastery and the nuns were forced to leave.

The name Beaulieu comes from the Latin "Loco bello", chosen for the beauty of the site on the Scheldt. The Poor Clares, a contemplative branch of the Franciscan movement founded by Clare of Assisi, lived here for five centuries. They ran a scriptorium and a school for children from the surrounding area.

The complex is visible from the outside but not open to the public - visitors can view the buildings and grounds from Abdijstraat. Plan to spend quiet time walking around the exterior and observing the architecture and surrounding farmland.

Above the entrance gate, the coat of arms of Guy of Dampierre, Count of Flanders, is still visible. The brother of Isabella of Luxembourg, a Templar knight who died of plague during the crusade in Jerusalem, is said to lie buried on the abbey grounds, his possessions in a lead coffin.