The college was established by the university authorities in 1657 to replace the "Collège de Gand" founded by Frans van de Nieulande (Franciscus de Nova Terra) in 1559, which had closed in 1655 for lack of funds.

Building began in 1658, under the supervision of Jan du Can and Adriaan van Mechelen, and from 1659 the college was housed on the Old Market.

[1] The college was sequestered when the university was closed down in 1797 during the French occupation.

The final remnants of the 17th-century buildings were destroyed by aerial bombardment in May 1944.

[2] Since 1843 a Josephite secondary-school, Heilige Drievuldigheidscollege, has stood on the location.