Proosdij Meerssen

Proosdij Meerssen is a medieval administrative complex built in multiple phases, located next to the Basilica of the Holy Sacrament and containing preserved outbuildings and administrative chambers. The different construction periods are visible in the varied architectural styles and materials of the structures.

The complex began as a Carolingian palace around 870 and later transformed into a church administrative center under the influence of the Abbey of Saint-Remigius in Reims. This shift shows how secular power gradually came under religious control.

The building served as a center for church administration and law, where officials managed religious properties and governed the territories around it. Visitors can still observe the rooms where these functions took place and sense how deeply religious authority shaped local governance.

The structure is located at Kerkstraat 8 and can be visited through guided historical tours that provide access to the different rooms and construction phases. Regular maintenance work keeps the architectural elements in good condition for visitors.

Archaeological excavations in 2008 uncovered Bronze Age settlement remains and medieval pottery beneath the current building foundations. These discoveries reveal that the site was occupied long before the medieval structure was built.