Begijnhof of Bruges

The Begijnhof of Bruges, officially the Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaerde, lies on the Oude Begijnhof in the south-west of the old town of Bruges, in West Flanders, Belgium. It was founded in 1244 under the patronage of Margaret of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders, to house beguines: lay women who lived a devout communal life without taking the full vows of a nun. They supported themselves through work such as lace-making, teaching and caring for the sick. Beguinages became common across the Low Countries in the 13th century, and the Bruges site grew into a walled community with houses, a church, an infirmary and a central green. Most buildings visible today date from the 16th and 17th centuries, with whitewashed facades, gables and quiet cobbled lanes. The beguine community declined from the 18th century, and the last beguine died in the 20th century. Since 1927 the site has been home to Benedictine nuns, who still live in part of the complex, and the whitewashed houses are also used for private residence. The church of St Elizabeth, with its Baroque interior, stands on the edge of the green. One house is open as a small museum showing how a beguine lived, with a kitchen, living room and bedroom. Each spring, thousands of daffodils bloom across the central lawn beneath tall trees. The beguinage was inscribed in 1998 as part of the UNESCO group of Flemish Beguinages. Its curatorial presentation is informal: the site is a living place, entered via a stone bridge over the canal and a gate, and visitors are asked to respect the silence kept for the nuns. The buildings are well maintained and regularly restored.