The Beguinage (Begijnhof) is one of the lesser-known beguinages around Antwerp. Unlike other Flemish beguinages, it is not a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but is well preserved and an oasis of peace on the Rodestraat.
Nevertheless, the ensemble is well worth seeing and an absolute highlight of our city tour. It is also a beautiful, enclosed resting place with the garden in the middle. It consists of a square complex with a few alleys in the side arms. The doors closed to the alley are inscribed with the names of saints and lead to a small courtyard to each house. While most of the houses have a brick facade, the western houses are whitewashed.
The current structural substance dates back to the 16th century. The church of St. Catharina is a neo-Gothic building from the 19th century. Fruit trees were planted in the garden and a small pond was created.
Beguines and Beghards were members of a lay order who led an ascetic and devout life, similar to life in a monastery, with Beguine referring to the female members and Begarde to the male members. Their life was the well-known expression of the semi-religious life that emerged in the late Middle Ages, which was an intermediate form between religious life and secular life. The heyday of the Beguines and Beghards was between the 13th and 16th centuries. The last Beguine died in 1986. –––––––––––––––––– The Beguinage (Begijnhof) is one of the lesser known beguinages around Antwerp. Unlike other Flemish beguinages, it is not a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but it is well preserved and an oasis of peace on Rodestraat.
Nevertheless, the ensemble is well worth seeing and an absolute highlight of our city tour. It is also a beautiful, enclosed resting place with the garden in the middle.
It consists of a square complex with a few alleys in the side arms. The doors closed to the alley are inscribed with the names of saints and lead to a small courtyard to each house. While most of the houses have brick facades, the western houses are whitewashed.
The present building substance dates back to the 16th century. The church of St. Catharina is a neo-Gothic building from the 19th century. Fruit trees were planted in the garden and a small pond was created.
Beguines and Begards were members of a lay order who led an ascetic and devout life, similar to life in a monastery, with Beguines denoting the female members and Begards the male members.
In a quiet spot next to the university in the city center, you will find the Begijnhof. In addition to the Saint Catherine's Church, this hidden gem also has a beautiful courtyard and an orchard. visit.antwerpen.be/nl-BE/info/begijnhof
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