A former religious community in central Brussels, converted from a ducal town house and later reimagined as the European Commission’s library—a building that bridges medieval piety, urban upheaval, and institutional renewal.
At a glance
The Convent Van Maerlant occupies a site on Rue Van Maerlant in Brussels with a complex architectural and institutional history. Originally a chapel founded in 1435, the building served as a convent for the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration from the 1850s until the early 1980s, when declining vocations led to closure. Today it functions as the central library of the European Commission.
History
The original chapel was established in 1435 under papal authority and underwent renovation in the 1780s. In the early 1850s, a nearby ducal town house was converted into a convent for the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. Railway expansion reshaped the site dramatically: a 1905 compulsory purchase order for Brussels-Central railway station displaced the original structures. A rebuilt chapel replaced what was lost, standing for 45 years until demolition in 1955. After the convent closed in the early 1980s due to falling religious vocations, the building fell into disrepair for nearly two decades before its acquisition and transformation into a library.
What you see
The complex comprises a church and the Chapel of the Resurrection. The chapel reconstructed after 1905 was built to near-identical specifications to its predecessor, preserving the design ethos of the earlier structure despite the intervening loss. The adaptive reuse as a library reflects contemporary approaches to heritage preservation.
Cultural significance
The convent bears the name of Jacob van Maerlant, a celebrated medieval Flemish poet, anchoring the site to the region’s literary tradition. The building’s trajectory—from religious sanctuary to institutional hub—mirrors broader European shifts in secularization and the repurposing of sacred spaces for contemporary civic functions. Its survival and conversion demonstrate how Brussels navigates memory and urban transformation.
Key facts
- Country: Belgium
- City: Brussels
- Original chapel founded: 1435
- Coordinates: 50.84119, 4.37815
- Current use: European Commission central library
Practical information & getting there
The Convent Van Maerlant is located on Rue Van Maerlant in central Brussels. As the site now houses the European Commission’s library, visiting hours and access may be restricted; verify ahead before planning your visit.
Sources & resources
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