A medieval estate with a mission TEXT: CHÉRINE KOUBAT | PHOTOS: ADORNES VZW
The Adornes Domain stands in a peaceful part of Bruges, close to and yet secluded from the hustle of tourist hotspots. It exudes a mystical serenity and the intimate feel of a private home. Housing contemporary art exhibitions and a museum, it allows visitors to delve into the history of the city, all the while weaving a subtle narrative around the themes of heritage and identity.
early 15th century. The Italian Adornes, a family of Genoan merchants, settled in Bruges in the 13th century and cemented their position locally through marriages and alliances. They quickly took over key positions in the administrative and economic life of the city and built this beautiful testament to their social prominence. As Véronique de Limburg Stirum explains: “Back then, when you made it, you didn’t get a Ferrari, you built a chapel.”
A rich history
The estate consists of a mansion, the beautifully macabre Jerusalem Chapel, quaint almshouses and a garden. Though it never officially changed hands, the Adornes Domain has had its share of eventful changes. Turned into a convent from the 1830s to the 1980s, it also housed a lace museum until 2014.
The medieval estate and its unique chapel are a fixture of the Sint-Anna quarter, a web of historic, cobbled lanes that have retained their authentic charm. The Adornes Domain has been in Maximilien de Limburg Stirum and his wife Véronique’s family since it was built, in the 14 | Issue 66 | June 2019
The estate, as it stands today, is the vision of Anselm Adornes, undoubtedly the family’s most famous member. A successful merchant, a patron of the arts and an ambassador for the Duke of Burgundy, he had his fingers in many pies and his eyes firmly set on the future. He built the almshouses – the ancestors of social housing – alongside the chapel for sick, destitute and widowed women. Incredibly, the last resident left her home – now the setting for the multimedia museum exploring the life of Adornes – in the 1950s. Though not much is known about his personality, Adornes’ life seems to suggest he had an inquisitive mind and energy to spare. He set off on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, a 14-month-long jour-