Historic Sites of Manitoba: Notre Dame des Prairies Trappist Monastery (RM of Victoria)

In 1978, the Trappist Monastery was moved from St. Norbert to a farm site south of Holland in the Rural Municipality of Victoria. Designed by academic architect Jacques Collin with assistance of Smith Carter Partners, the facility was famous for its Trappist-style cheese that was made here until 2018. In the following years, the surrounding farm land, the monastery site and its buildings were sold to a Coptic religious congregation for use as a spiritual centre. In the fall of 2021, remains in the facility’s cemetery were disinterred and moved to a cemetery in St. Norbert.

Aerial view of the former Trappist Monastery near Holland

Aerial view of the former Trappist Monastery near Holland (August 2020)
Source: George Penner

Aerial view of the former Trappist Monastery near Holland

Aerial view of the former Trappist Monastery near Holland (August 2020)
Source: George Penner

Trappist Monastery entrance marker

Trappist Monastery entrance marker (August 2020)
Source: George Penner

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.54107, W98.84863
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Trappist Monastery Ruins and Guesthouse (100 Ruines du Monastere, Winnipeg)

Manitoba Business: Smith Carter and Katelnikoff / Smith Carter Architects and Engineers / Architecture49

Memorable Manitobans: Jacques Collin (1927-2000)

Memorable Manitobans: Jozsef “Joe” Jozsa (1931-2017)

Memorable Manitobans: Georges Brunet [Brother Albéric] (1935-2022)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Dairy Museum of Manitoba (St. Claude, RM of Grey)

Sources:

Our Lady Of The Prairies, Holland, Manitoba, Canadian Architect.

Manitoba Trappist monastery, the last in Western Canada, for sale” by Thibault Jourdain, CBC News, 2 August 2020.

Les sépultures des frères trappistes trouvent leur repos éternel à Saint-Norbert” by Thibault Jourdain, Radio-Canada, 31 October 2021.

We thank Daniel Bahuaud (Archdiocese of St. Boniface) for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by George Penner and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 18 December 2022

Historic Sites of Manitoba

This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only.

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