The abbey was founded in 1201 as a Cistercian monastery for women.
During the French Revolution, the abbey was suppressed and its properties were largely sold off as national assets.
The gardens were historically designed to aid monastic contemplation, utilizing geometric planting beds.
The site acts as a major hub for the 'La Cambre' visual arts school, which occupies the former monastic buildings.
The gardens serve as a structural transition point between the urban fabric of Ixelles and the expansive forêt de Soignes.
The Jardins de l'Abbaye de la Cambre feature a tiered, formal garden layout surrounding a 13th-century Cistercian abbey in the Ixelles district of Brussels. The site encompasses the remnants of a medieval monastery, with the gardens structured in French style, offering a symmetrical view of the abbey's limestone facade. The lower sections provide a contrast to the elevated terraces, which offer vantage points over the pond and wooded valley. The abbey complex currently houses the National Geographical Institute and the La Cambre fine arts school. A distinct feature of the gardens is their integration into the wider green corridor that connects the site to the Bois de la Cambre park. The grounds are maintained as a public park with gravel pathways and manicured hedges.
The central path leading from the lower pond terrace looking upward toward the abbey facade.
Wear comfortable walking shoes, as the gardens feature sloped terraces and gravel paths.
Bring a book or a picnic blanket, as the site is popular for quiet reading on the lawn areas.
Explore the lower garden sections near the pond for a view of the abbey reflected in the water.
Attempting to enter the private school facilities or office buildings within the abbey complex; focus instead on the public garden spaces.
Maintain a quiet volume as the site functions as an active educational campus; keep to designated gravel paths to protect the formal flowerbeds.
