Nivelles - Collégiale Sainte-Gertrude

In 640 an abbey was founded here by Iduberga (aka Itta, Ida), wife of Pepin I (aka Pippin the Elder), majordomus under three Merovingian kings and forefather of the Carolingians. After Pepin´s death Iduberga moved into the convent and lived the life of a nun, while her daughter Gertrude became the first abbess here.

The abbey began as a community of nuns. After Irish monks were sent by the (Irish) Abbot Foillan to give support to the nuns, a "double monastary" developed.

For most of the Middle Ages the abbey remained an "Imperial Abbey" and from the 12th century, the community slowly changed as the members then became canonesses regular who came from among the nobility.

The old abbey church, erected from 1000 on and consecrated in 1046, was destroyed by the German Luftwaffe in 1940. After WWII the church was rebuilt to its 11th and 13th centuries architecture.

Three scenes from the life of Samson are depicted on the portal´s tympanum. To the left Samson´s hair is cut off.

Judges 18-19

"When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him."