Abbaye de Notre Dame de Loos

The Notre Dame de Loos Abbey features stone walls and architectural elements characteristic of northern French religious buildings from the 12th century.

Founded in 1149 by Thierry d'Alsace and Sibylle d'Anjou, the abbey remained active until its transformation into national property during the French Revolution in 1789.

The abbey managed six women's houses under its first abbot Jean Belle, maintaining connections with Cistercian and Clairvaux religious orders.

The structure underwent multiple transformations, serving as a penal institution from 1817 to 2011, with parts now open for historical research.

France established its first penitentiary anthropology service at this location in 1927, marking a significant development in prisoner rehabilitation methods.

Location: Loos

Inception: 1149

GPS coordinates: 50.61611,2.99833

Latest update: June 23, 2025 09:44