In 1956, Dom Hans van der Laan was commissioned to complete an existing abbey in Vaals (The Netherlands) with a church and several annexes. St-Benedictusberg was to be a new abbey for his own Benedictine order. In 1961, the crypt was realised and in 1968 the church and its atrium and a guest wing were added. In that period, Van der Laan moved to this abbey himself. In 1986 a library and open gallery followed.