Grootseminarie (Major Seminary) and BIBLIA
On the edge of the historic city centre is the diocesan centre of the Diocese of Bruges, a place of formation and training, of study and reflection. It is also the location of BIBLIA, a Biblical Experience Centre.
To this day, priests for the Diocese of Bruges receive their training at the Major Seminary. As locations go, it is unique, with its orchard and meadows with grazing cows. A new Cistercian abbey (the Dune Abbey) was built here between 1628 and 1642. During the French Revolution, the abbey was declared a national asset and the abbot and his monks were expelled. The abbey's buildings served successively as a military hospital, a military warehouse and a royal athenaeum, until they provided a home for the Major Seminary in 1833.
The archive and the library contain a unique collection of manuscripts and books. Since late 2022, the site has also housed BIBLIA, a modern, interactive experience centre that allows visitors to set off on a journey through the world of the Bible, during which thinking and doing go hand in hand.
