Begijnhof (Beguinage Houses), Bruges (must see)

The Beguinage Houses, founded in 1245 by Margaret of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders, was established as a community for beguines—lay religious women who dedicated their lives to prayer, charity, and work without taking permanent monastic vows. Unlike nuns, beguines remained financially independent and were free to leave the community and marry if they wished.

The Beguinage flourished throughout the Middle Ages and eventually grew into a small enclosed village with houses, a church, gardens, and communal buildings arranged around a large central green. Although many of the original medieval buildings have disappeared, most of the whitewashed houses visible today date from the 16th to the 18th centuries and have been carefully restored over the years.

Visitors enter the Beguinage by crossing a small stone bridge and passing through the elegant Baroque entrance gate, completed in 1776. Beyond it lies a tranquil courtyard shaded by tall trees, where the peaceful atmosphere feels remarkably unchanged despite the crowds elsewhere in Brugge.

The Beguinage Church, dedicated to Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, has stood on this site since the foundation of the community. The present church was largely rebuilt in the early 17th century after earlier buildings were damaged by fire and later received Baroque furnishings during the 18th century. Inside, visitors can admire its simple yet elegant interior, including the high altar dedicated to Saint Joseph and a beautiful gilded statue of the Madonna and Child, one of the Beguinage's oldest and most treasured works of art.

In 1927, Benedictine nuns settled in the Beguinage to continue its religious life. They lived alongside the remaining beguines for many decades, and the last beguine, Marcella Pattyn—the final beguine in the world—died in 2013. Today, Benedictine sisters still reside here, preserving the site's contemplative character.

One of the restored houses now serves as the Beguinage Museum, where period furnishings recreate the modest living quarters of a 17th-century beguine. The exhibits provide insight into the daily routine, religious practices, and simple lifestyle of these remarkable women.