Less Brothers Church

About

The Minderbroederskerk, also called Ursulinenkerk, is a church building in Maaseik, on Boomgaardstraat 10-12.

History: The Minderbroeders settled in Maaseik in 1626. In 1627 they bought a house on the Boomgaardstraat, where they set up a temporary chapel. Then they bought a number of adjacent houses and in 1637 they started building monastery and church. In 1644, the church was inaugurated and it was dedicated to Saint Bonaventura. In 1797 the monastery was sold to the public. In 1798 the church was bought by some individuals to prevent the demolition of the church, which had already begun, from being completed. In 1802, after the destruction of the old church of St. Catherine by a collapsed tower, the church was used as a parish church, until the new church of St. Catherine was inaugurated in 1840. In 1841 the church was bought by the Ursulinen sisters, who had already acquired the surrounding goods in 1847. The sisters started teaching girls and founded a secondary school, which later became the Technical Institute of Saint Ursula. A humaniora was also furnished. After the monastery...