Maredsous Abbey
A Neo Gothic Benedictine Abbey Of 1872 In Wooded Hills, Known For Its Abbey Church, Its Cheese And Its Beer, Served At The Visitor Centre Across The Courtyard · Denee, Namur Province
Maredsous Abbey, the Abbaye de Maredsous, is a working Benedictine monastery in the wooded hills of the Molignee valley, between Namur and Dinant. It was founded in 1872, when the Desclee family gave land and money and monks came from the German abbey of Beuron; the buildings, in a strict neo-Gothic style, went up over the following decades, with a large abbey church, a school and the monks' quarters. Visitors come for three things: the church, which is open and where the monks' sung offices can be heard; the Saint-Joseph visitor centre across the courtyard, with its cafeteria serving Maredsous cheese and beer; and walks in the valley. The beer carries the abbey's name but is brewed under licence by Duvel Moortgat, not at the abbey. Who it suits: travellers who enjoy a quiet church, a cheese and beer lunch and a valley walk, or a stop between Namur and Dinant. The honest caveat: it is not a medieval abbey, and on sunny weekends the car park and cafeteria are packed.
Rue de Maredsous, Denee (Anhee), in the hills between Namur and Dinant, Denee, Namur Province, Belgium
The abbey church is usually open to visitors every day, roughly from early morning to evening, except during some services, when visitors should sit quietly or wait outside (confirm the current times at the church). The Saint-Joseph visitor centre, with its cafeteria, shop and bookshop, is usually open daily, roughly 10 am to 6 pm, with longer hours on summer weekends and shorter in winter; it may close on some winter days and around Christmas - check the current schedule. The monastery itself is enclosed and not open to tourists. Getting there: a car is by far the easiest, about 25-30 minutes from Namur or Dinant, with a large car park. There is no station at the abbey; the nearest SNCB/NMBS stations are on the Meuse line, such as Dinant or Yvoir, and TEC buses to Maredsous are rare, especially at weekends, so check the timetable carefully. Nothing needs booking for a normal visit; groups and guided tours are booked ahead.