Saint Elisabeth Church, Ghent

Saint Elisabeth Church (Sint-Elisabethkerk) is nestled within the Old Saint Elisabeth beguinage in Ghent, also known as the Holy Corner. This beguinage is one of three in the city, alongside the New Saint Elisabeth Beguinage in Sint-Amandsberg and Our Lady Ter Hooyen in Lange Violettenstraat. Named after Saint Elisabeth of Hungary, also known as Saint Elisabeth of Thuringia, the beguinage dates back to 1234.

Saint Elisabeth Church itself, a UNESCO World Heritage site, reflects a long history that spans several centuries. Originating in the 13th century, it began as a modest structure, with the beguinage serving as a community for beguines-lay religious women who lived communally without taking formal vows. In the 17th century, the church underwent major Baroque-style reconstruction, which included the addition of a distinctive small wooden Baroque belfry.

The church's interior features a neo-Gothic pulpit adorned with scenes from the life of Saint Elisabeth, emphasizing its dedication to the saint. After the departure of the beguines in 1873, who moved to the Grand Beguinage Sint-Amandsberg, the church transitioned into a parish. Today, it serves as the home of the Saint John's Anglican Church community in Ghent. Set amidst the historic marshland once used by beguines for domestic tasks like bleaching their laundry, the church remains a testament to Ghent’s rich ecclesiastical and cultural heritage.