[Notre Dame à la Rose Hospital of Lessines]

At the beginning of the 13th century the town of Lessines was an important town in Hainaut. In 1243, following the examples of Tournai, Brugge or Brussels, the town was equipped with a hospital, 200 years before the building of the hospital in Beaune. The hospital was called "Hospital of the Poor" or "Notre-Dame (Our Lady) Hospital". At the end of the 19th century its name was changed into "Notre-Dame à la Rose (Our Lady with the Rose) Hospital". The wards transformed in the years 60 in geriatrics were closed down in December 1980, after nearly 750 years of service. For the hospital begun than its new life:its complete conversion into a museum.