Flemish Béguinages, Belgium

A Beguinage in Diest
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beguinage_Diest.JPG
Author: Athenchen


The Flemish Béguinages are a cloistered community in Belgium. Also known as Begijnhof in Dutch, the Béguinages was founded in the 13th century by Roman Catholic women who have dedicated their lives to serving God, without retiring from the world. Their living quarters, including their abodes, churches, work buildings and open spaces have been carefully preserved, and are now recognised as a World Heritage Site during the 22th session of the World Heritage Committee meeting in Kyoto, Japan on 30 November to 5 December, 1991.

The outstanding physical characteristics of the Béguinages architecture that is specific to the Flemish cultural region was one of the justifications for placing the Flemish Béguinages on the World Heritage List. Additionally, the béguinages showcase the cultural tradition of independent religious women in that part of Europe during the Middle Ages, and that the béguinages stand as an outstanding example of buildings that exhibit both secular and conventual values.

Entrance to the Beguinage in Oudenaarde
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oudenaarde_-_Beguinage_1.jpg
Author: LimoWreck

What to See in Flemish Béguinages

You can visit Béguinages in many of the towns in Belgium including Antwerp, Bruges, Dendermonde, Diest, Ghent, Hasselt, Hoogstraten, Lier, Leuven, Mechelen, Kortrijk, Sint-Truiden, Turnhout and Tongeren. These Béguinages came about because of a surplus of unmarried women during the Middle Ages - men died off from all forms of violence related to wars. These women banded, also called béguinages, together and created dwellings for themselves, often through the help from rich benefactors.

The Béguinages community comprises a courtyard surrounded by abodes. For protection, it is often surrounded by a wall, and separated from the rest of the town by a gate or two.

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location: N 51 1 51.5 E 4 28 25.5
Inscription Year: 1998
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: II, III, IV

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