Place of pilgrimage of Our Lady of Lourdes, built in 1874 by order of Margravine de Courtebourne, on whose domain the place of pilgrimage was created and accessible via Onze-Lieve-Vrouwdreef.
The immediate cause for the creation of the place of pilgrimage was the construction of a fashionable aquarium in the shape of a rock (reminiscent of a hermit from the Margravine's family) in the garden of the Margraviess de Courtebourne castle in 1870-71, according to a design. by architect E. Van Hoecke-Peeters.
At the request of the then pastor Moreels, a statue of Mary was placed in the rock.
After the solemn consecration of the statue in the cave on June 29, 1873, the park of Slotendries Castle was gradually opened to Marian worshippers.
After the miraculous healing of Pieter De Rudder on April 7, 1875, the place gained great fame as the so-called place of pilgrimage of Our Lady of Lourdes-Oostakker.
Margravine de Courtebourne provided land along the pilgrimage road for construction and also partly contributed to the construction costs of a church, monastery, shop, hotel and several schools.
It is said that architect J. Bethune was involved in the construction of all this.