A previous post explains how we ended up staying in this hotel in Mechelan. I fell in love with the hotel 
As luck would have it an email arrived from the Belgian hotel chain that we used when we stayed in Bruges. It gave us inspiration and I fell in love with one of the hotels in the chain. The Hotel is a converted Church! I researched the hotel’s town and found that it had many things of interest. The guidebooks describe it as a beautiful medieval town, with charm and outstanding architectural treasures.
I was also curious about the history of the church. I was happy to find that the hotel provided this information in the ‘useful information book’ which can be found in most hotel rooms.
The building which houses Martin’s Patershof dates from the late 19th century and formed part of the Franciscan monastery. Members of the Franciscan order, the Friars Minor shared their history with that of Mechelen from their arrival in 1231. They were expelled under the French revolution of the late 18th century, but Belgian independence and the state approval of the religious orders saw their re-establishment.
The construction of their new church, a neo-gothic building, started in the Hiehoek area 1867 area and was completed in 1873, followed by the completion of the cloisters.
At the end of the 1990s, the Franciscans left their monastery and put it up for sale. The gardens and part of the cloister were turned into a residential development called ‘Patershof’. In 1999, the building was deconsecrated and then sold to a private individual. Spring 2008 saw the beginnings of the metamorphosis of a heritage site in danger of extinction. Less than 14 months later, Martin’s Patershof opened its doors.
what amazing architecture.
It is a lovely building
I enjoyed the history about this church and your images today are superb Cherie…
but i find it very sad to see the closing of places of worship of any kind….peter:)
There are so many other churches in Mechelen I suppose there wasn’t need for another one when the Franciscans left.
I am just pleased that the building wasn’t allowed to fall to ruin.
That hotel is something else. They did a great job in making this place like ‘heaven’….
I can see why you liked it.
Mechelen is. like other Belgium towns, wonderful. So much to see and explore.
Great series of post to give more insight. Great pictures too.
Mechelen is a very interesting place to visit. There is so much history and stunning architecture hidden within its streets.
So which is your favourite Belgian city?
I used to like Bruges a lot.
Then, I visited Ghent.
Hmm I think it’s more beautiful.
Well so far I have only been to Brussels Bruges and Mechelen.
Brussels I can take or leave. Bruges is beautiful and romantic and Mechlen is full of history. I love them both for different reasons and would visit both again.
Ghent is on my list of Belgian places to visit and so is Leuven