Rolduc Abbey stands where the histories of the church, education and coal mining meet. Over more than nine centuries, the complex in Kerkrade grew from a small religious foundation into a collection of buildings bearing the marks of different periods. If you only look at the front façade, you have seen just part of it.
It began in 1104, when the priest Ailbertus of Antoing settled with his brothers in the Land of Rode. Construction of the crypt began in 1106, when the foundations of the abbey church were also laid. The crypt and church form the oldest core of the complex.
From Kloosterrade to Rolduc
Ailbertus left in 1111 following a disagreement about the direction of the community. The abbey survived and continued to grow. It became known as Kloosterrade or the Abbey of Rode. The name Rolduc derives from the French Rode-le-Duc and refers to neighbouring Herzogenrath.
The buildings also tell us something about the wealth the abbey later acquired. Coal mining played an important role in the eighteenth century. That is hardly surprising here: in parts of the Wurm valley, coal seams lie close to the surface. Rolduc’s history therefore became tied to the mining district long before the large mine shafts might suggest.
In 1796, the French authorities dissolved the abbey community. From 1831, Rolduc again served an educational purpose, initially as a minor seminary for the Diocese of Liège. Its connection with Roermond, boarding school and other courses followed later. The complex also came to be used as a hotel and conference centre.
For this series, the building itself takes centre stage. The substantial masonry, repeated arches and transitions between light and dark spaces give you plenty of reasons to look a little longer. Knowing the history helps: a school, an abbey and a boarding establishment place different demands on the same building. Rolduc has been all three.
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