Aulne Abbey, Thuin
In the heart of the commune of Thuin, discover the impressive ruins of Aulne Abbey, where the past and wild nature coexist wonderfully: a moment of serenity in a haven of peace.
This place, known as the 'Valley of Peace', was not chosen by chance by the Cistercian monks in the 12th century. The Sambre, the woods and the geographical position close to Charleroi determined the location for the construction of the abbey and its outbuildings.
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Located in the Walloon region of Belgium, in a place known as Vallée de la Paix (Valley of Peace) by the Sambre river, the Abbey was founded by the later canonized Abbot Landelin of Crespin in 657. Founded as a Benedictine monastery, in 1147 it became a Cistercian Abbey.
The Abbaye d’Aulne alternated periods of splendour and decadence until 1794, when it was badly damaged by French revolutionary troops. In 1859 when the last monk died, the Monastery was abandoned and turned into a hospice... .