Once a priory church

Can you believe it !? The Augustinian priory of Groenendaal was founded in 1343 by three canons of the Brussels St Goedele Church. Jan van Ruusbroec de Wonderbare (the Miraculous) was one of them and became the first prior. The priory was abolished twice, first in 1784 and again in 1795. After the first destruction of the priory the square monastery was gone, though part of its walls remained.
The church was partly demolished in 1787(the destruction of the nave). In 1793 the monks returned back to their monastery. They took up residence in the priory and promptly started with the renovation of the church in a Classicist style. Unfortunately their efforts were futile, because two years later the French took over and the priory received the final blow. The church turned into a service building and a barn, the French military kept their horses there. In 1998, the derelict remains of the monastery were declared a monument. There were plans to restore the priory church, but so far that hasn't happened. So here's my submission for Derelict Thursday, the remains of the church of the former Priory of Groenendaal in the Sonian Forest.

Thanks very much for your comments and stars for yesterday's yellow duckie brush.

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