The street takes it name from that of a monastery of the order of Mount Carmel, which was established here about 1249. General chapters— international congresses—of the order were held on the site in the 14th and 15th centuries. In 1500, a chapter of the Order of the Golden Fleece was held here at which seven new knights were inducted, including the infant future emperor Charles V. The monastery housed paintings, notably works completed by Rogier van der Weyden, and the library was considered one of the most significant in the southern Netherlands in the 17th century. Most of the monastery buildings were destroyed during the French regime in 1797.
Historical Dictionary of Brussels. Paul F. State.