BEGIJNHOF

Description

Essentials about the Begijnhof in brief

Located in the center of Amsterdam, the Begijnhof (Beguines Court) is one of the most beautiful courtyards in the Netherlands and an oasis of peace and reflection far from the hustle and bustle of the city. The Beguines were a Christian community that appeared from the 12th century onwards, who did not take religious vows or live in cloister. However, they led a religious, celibate life in community in so-called beguinages. The Beguines spread mainly in the Netherlands and Flanders, but also in Germany, France, northern Italy and Switzerland.

The Beguines

A beguinage is located in a city and usually consists of an architectural ensemble grouped around an inner courtyard of small dwellings, a chapel, outbuildings, and often a larger house for the beguinage mistress and with a meeting room. As in Amsterdam, the inner courtyard is often designed as an idyllic kitchen garden or ornamental garden or green space. The grounds are clearly demarcated from the rest of the city by walls or moats. In the gables of the beguinages there are often religious sayings, images of saints or the Virgin Mary, or the names of the patron saints of the residents. In 2013, the last beguine passed away, ending an 800-year-old tradition of pious women. Nowadays, the beguinages are often inhabited by elderly people, artists and students.

The history of the Begijnhof

The Begijnhof in Amsterdam, built from 1346, comprises 47 dwellings grouped around an inner courtyard, most of which date from the 18th century. It is a reconstruction after a fire, which survived only one house from 1470. Begijnhof 34 is thus the oldest surviving house in Amsterdam. Until 1971, the Begijnhof in Amsterdam was still inhabited by Beguines.