Brogne Abbey

Brogne Abbey (French: Abbaye de Brogne), also known as Saint-Gerard Abbey, was a Benedictine abbey founded in the early 10th century by Gerard of Brogne in the village of Brogne (now the Saint-Gérard subdivision of Mettet, Wallonia, Belgium).[1]

Brogne Abbey

Abbaye Saint-Gérard de Brogne
Monastery information
Order	Benedictine
Established	before 920
Disestablished	1796
Diocese	Liège (to 1559); Namur (from 1559)
Architecture
Heritage designation	listed building
Designated date	1995
Site
Coordinates	50.6205°N 4.9549°E / 50.6205; 4.9549
Website	www.brogne.be

Gerard founded the abbey on his own land, with the blessing of Stephen of Liège (died 920), and obtained a relic of St Eugenius from the abbot of Saint-Denis. A charter of 923 granted land in Hesbaye to the monastery.

In 992 Otto III visited the abbey together with Notker of Liège and confirmed its independence and privileges.[2] In 1183 Pope Lucius III confirmed the abbey in all its possessions.[3]

In 1566 the revenues of the abbacy were assigned to the recently founded Diocese of Namur by a bull of Pope Pius IV. Thereafter the monastery was governed by a prior on behalf of the bishop of Namur. In 1656 the monastery was incorporated into the Bursfelde Congregation.[4] Just which revenues were due to the bishop remained subject to dispute, petitions and sometimes litigation until the abbey was suppressed in 1796.[5]

The buildings of the former monastery were acquired by the municipality of Mettet in 1974,[6] and were listed as built heritage in 1995. At least for some years, the early 80's, the abbey was used as a youth hostel by the Belgian Youth hostels association.[7] Since 2013 they have housed a microbrewery,[8] and since 2015 a centre for viticulture.