Marchiennes Abbey

On the birth of the town of Marchiennes the abbey became its economic motor until being suppressed in 1791 during the French Revolution.

After the death of Adalbert I of Ostrevent in 642 AD, his widow, Rictrude, made it a double monastery with herself as the first Abbess.

The monastery managed to grow as the city and region bought clearing, drainage and exploitation of marshes and bogs.

The Tower of the Abbey Church was pulled down in 1817, following the fate of other buildings sold at the turn of the century as national property.

Today the remains include the Abbey gate dating from 1748, some operations building built by the monks and the brewery is being restored.