Minor Seminary

Neogothic Catholic seminary complex from the 19th century with notable alumni including Albrecht Rodenbach

The Minor Seminary (Klein Seminarie) is a large neogothic complex near the centre of Roeselare, founded in 1823 to train Catholic clergy. The main building and chapel are imposing Victorian gothic architecture in red brick, with pointed arches and a prominent tower. The seminary grounds include a garden with a statue of the poet Albrecht Rodenbach, who studied here and became one of the key figures of 19th-century Flemish literature and political nationalism.

The seminary still functions as a secondary school. Visitors can view the exterior and the garden with the Rodenbach statue; entry into the buildings is restricted. The complex is a short walk from the Grote Markt.

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A story
The Minor Seminary's most famous alumnus is the Flemish poet and nationalist Albrecht Rodenbach, who studied here in the 1870s and became the figurehead of the Flemish Movement. His poem 'Gudrun' and his activism made him an iconic figure in Flemish cultural identity, and his statue stands in the seminary garden.