Val Benoit

An abandoned university in Belgium.

The University was built in 1930 but what stood on the grounds before, has some history.

The name Val-Benoît comes from a Cistercian abbey dating back from the 13th century, which was partly destroyed in 1796 during the Liège revolution. 

The 'Université de Liège' was founded in 1817 where they had established its activities in the historic center of Liège. 

In the beginning of the 20th century, the university was looking for new spaces to cope with the important development of education of Science and technology.

 In 1924 they bought 8 acres of land around the ruins of the former abbey of Val-Benoit. 

The project included the creation of five new departments: an Institute of Applied Chemistry and Metallurgy, an Institute of Mineral Sciences, a Thermodynamics Laboratory coupled with a heating plant, an Institute of Mechanics and an Institute of Civil Engineering.

During WO II the university was damaged and the abbey was completely destroyed during the bombing of the neighboring railway bridge.

The buildings were rebuilt in 1947 and the body of the old abbey in 1952.

In 1967 the university transferred most of its activities to the 'Sart-Tilman' campus in Liège, while Val-Benoit was slowly getting abandoned. Fewer institutes, fewer students,...

In 2006, the last students, the architectural engineers, leave the site.

Since then, the university was a hotspot for vandalism and urban explorers.

The university is now completely shut down to everyone,  camera's and security everywhere. Demolition of the buildings will start soon.