Dans la clôture d’une grande abbaye : Premiers résultats des recherches archéologiques menées sur la place de Nivelles (2009–2011)

The Grand-Place of Nivelles, heart of the ancient abbey founded in the middle of the seventh century by the Pippinid dynasty, underwent a major redevelopment between 2009 and 2011. During works, a team from the ‘Direction de l’Archéologie du Service public de Wallonie’ intervened to collect a maximum of archaeological finds. This article presents a first synthesis of the research, in addition to observations made after the bombing of 1940, during the reconstruction of the square and the restoration of the collegiate church St. Gertrude.

The excavations provide new data about the abbey from its origins. Several remains belong to a first occupation, seen from Pepin of Landen’s villa, in which the abbey was founded. New information relates to the three abbey churches formerly excavated by Joseph Mertens.

The plan of Our Lady has been defined in its most recent phases and some of the adjoining burials were excavated. On the subject of St. Paul, the excavation completed what we already knew of the plan and its evolution. On the outskirts of St. Gertrude, research has uncovered, to the east, the foundations of corridors known as alloirs, sort of ambulatory around the choir which were still in use in the eighteenth century and, to the west, in front of the Westbau, an area of burials dated between the tenth and thirteenth centuries. The specific conditions of conservation of certain burials in each of these cemeteries have allowed exceptional preservation of wood containers, boxes or coffins dating from that period.

To the west of the square, several tile kilns were dated by archaeo-magnetism from the second quarter of the tenth century. This area of the site has also delivered part of the foundations of the abbess’ residence and several late medieval and modern habitations. These excavations helped to better understand the circulation and market spaces around Our Lady, St. Paul and St Gertrude.