Abbaye d'Aulne

The Abbaye d'Aulne in the Sambre valley near Thuin is one of Belgium's most atmospheric monastic ruins. Founded in 657 as a Merovingian Benedictine community, it adopted the Cistercian rule in the 12th century and grew into one of the most influential abbeys in the County of Hainaut. In 1794, French Revolutionary forces dissolved the community, looted the treasury, and partially demolished the church — leaving the Gothic nave open to the sky, where it has weathered ever since. The standing facades, arcaded galleries, and vaulted cellars still convey the scale of what was once a sprawling monastic city. Protected today as a Walloon heritage monument, the site is freely walkable, and the surrounding Sambre valley adds a quiet, green frame to the stonework.