Keizersberg
From LanceaSanctum
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[edit] History
[edit] The Castle
- 1230-1232: Hendrik I, mortal Count of Leuven, erects a castle on the northern hill in the city of Leuven, oustide the city walls as a new home. This is done to affirm the independance of the mortal citizens of Leuven.
- 1357: The new ringwall surrounds the castle. The citizens consider the castle as just one of the residences of their Duke. The former count of Leuven now was Duke of Brabant, with Leuven as capitol city.
- 1430: The "Staten van Brabant" is held in the castle, giving Filips the Benign, Duke of Burgundy, the rights as heir to the Duchy of Brabant.
- "At the start of the 16th century": , when he was still a child , the future emperor Charlemagne regularly stayed at the castle with his sisters. The deacon of Saint-Peter, Adrianus Florizoon, the future pope Adrianus VI, tutored him. A zoo was built on the domain to entertain the children. When he became emperor, Charlemagne expanded the castle and had it embellished. The humanists of the university of Leuven (founded 1425) gave the castle its flattering name "Castrum Caesaris", the emperors castle and the citizens referred to it as "burch ons Heren Keizers", citadel of the Lord, our emperor. The care for the castle was entrusted to castle-lords from then on, such as the famous humanist Erycius Puteanus, who received the archdukes Albrecht and Isabella in 1618. After that the castle started to decay.
- 1782: Emperor Jozef II orders the castle to be destroyed and the domain to be sold. Only a single wall and the 36 metres deep well were preserved. The towers and the imperial residence were flattened, even the foundations were excavated.
[edit] The Abbey
- 1888: The Lancea Sanctum decide to move the seat of the Archdiocese of the Low Countires from Maredsous to Keizersberg. They embrace the famous Neo-Gothic architect and theologan Baron Jean-Baptiste de Béthune, who already built their marvellous abbey in Maredsous.
- 1889: The Lancea buy the grounds on Keizersberg (Emperors' Mount) and construction commences.
- 1897: The North Wing is completed, finishing the huge project of Keizersberg Abbey.
- 1944: May 11th-12th: the abbey and the garden buildings are severely damage by nightly bombardments of Leuven and its vicinity. The retainers are forced to leave the grounds for several months. The repairs further strenghten the structural integrity of the abbey.
- 1966: July 12th : after some adaptations the chappel is consecrated by abbot de Béthune as abbey church.
- 1969: The West Wing is adapted to function as a (very strict) student dorm for feeding purposes.
[edit] Approaching Keizersberg
[edit] Entering the Domain
[edit] The Hallways
[edit] The Monastery and its Guest Quarters
The guest quarters are open to all, regardless of conviction or reputation and are considered to be Elysium, much like the abbey church. As such the guest quarters are sometimes used as sanctuary by those seeking to atone, or trying to prove their innocence. But most often it is used as a place to stay during a visit to the Low Countries or to Cardinal de Béthune. Sometimes respected kindred that stay here were offered the chance to get personal tutelage by Monseigneur de Béthune and acces to his personal library.
[edit] The Smithy
In a former coach house at the corner of the domain Maximiliano Milliardo forges the new weapons for the paladins. The completed weapons are blessed by either Cardinal de Béthune or Père Salvius. Paladins from all over the planet visit Keizersberg and its smithy to ask for the forging of a personalised weapon.
[edit] The Communal Library
The Communal library is also accessible to (kindred) visitors. It hosts a multitude of occult, philosophical and theological works. It is a poorly kept secret however that the most interesting works are to be found in the Cardinal de Béthunes' personal library. Almost every night Marcus Dobbelaere is to be found here in some dark corner with piles of books, far away on some theologic cloud but always helpfull to those who seeks assistance.
[edit] The Statue of Mother Mary
This ominous statue that looms over the city of Leuven is strictly off-limits both to kine (protected monument: statue + ancient thorny bushes surrounding it) and to kindred (by express edict of Cardinal de Béthune).
[edit] Midnight Mass
The Midnight Mass that is held every Sunday night is one of the most important social events in the Low Countries. Frequently led by Cardinal de Béthune or Bishop Salvius kindred from Brabant and the neighbouring domains make sure they make their face seen in Mass. Crone, Ordo, Carthian, they all join the Lancea and Invictus in Mass and it is a rare kindred that never attends mass in these regions.
Even less frequent are those kindred that never go to confession. Even staunch, self-proclaimed unbelievers or religious critics regularly ask to take confession and almost all of them start to attend Mass within a couple of years.
The sacristy
[edit] The Retainers
[edit] The Mausoleum
The cemetery is the burial place of the Retainers. The Mausoleum harbours the body of many a Kindred that has entered the Long Sleep.
[edit] The Forbidden Tower
This tower is strictly off-limits to everybody except a chosen few appointed by the abbot (Archbishop Killpatrick). Some whisper that the oubliette of the Inquisitory-general of the Low Countries is situated in the top of this tower.
[edit] The Well
Many wonder what this oddly situated well was constructed for. Cardinal de Béthune has always remained tightlipped about it, and some believe it predates the abbey by several centuries. To date its purpose and origin remain an enigma.
[edit] Current Inhabitants
Exarch Cardinal Killpatrick (Abbot)
Père Salvius
Ektor
Nadia Borremans
Marcus Dobbelaere
Uriël
Gabriëlle
Broeder Vanderaerden
[edit] Rumours
- Keizersberg has a collection of artifacts that were saved from the Black Abbey
- Monseigneur Jean-Baptiste Charles de Béthune built several secret passages under Keizersberg.
