Saint Michael’s Abbey

Archaeologists found the foundation of the church of Saint Michael’s Abbey in this location. The abbey was founded in 1124 and soon became very powerful and prosperous. A new church was built in the fifteenth century. The abbey suffered during the turbulent sixteenth century but the next century was its golden age. Famous artists such as Rubens helped re-design the church. From 1796, the church was used as a depot. In 1830, Dutch troops shelled the site and everything went up in flames. The city demolished the remnants of the depot and built new streets here. The street name - 'Verbrande-Entrepotstraat' (Burnt Depot Street) - still refers to the fire.