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Maidens In The Venice Of North
ust off Amsterdam’s main like nuns, although they took no
shopping alley there is the monastic vows.
Begijnhof, a secluded court
of almshouses with a quiet inner Today the Begijnhof is among the
garden and the English Reformed most well-liked attractions in
Church in their midst. Dating Amsterdam. This enclosed
from the 14th century, the courtyard is not only beautiful,
Begijnhof used to be the house of but also enjoys a wonderful
devout lay-women who did location away from the noise of
religious work for the adjacent the city center. This site dates
nunnery, mostly in education and back to the early 1300s. There
nursing. Most of the houses were were dwellings here even before
renovated during the 17th and that, but nothing has survived of
18th century and only one of the them. Originally the Begijnhof
original medieval wooden houses was home to the Begijntjes, a
remains. True to tradition the Catholic nunnery.
Begijnhof still houses the
elderly poor, and this island of The Begijnhof maintain the
tranquility is certainly worth a atmosphere of sanctity and devout
visit. spirituality. It is a
multifaceted with beautiful
The Begijnhof is an enclosed dwellings overlooking a
courtyard dating from the early well-maintained lush garden. The
14th century. The Begijnhof, oldest house still standing in
which is cut off from Amsterdam’s Amsterdam is also part of this
traffic noise, still retains a complex. This is Houten Huys,
sanctified atmosphere. The completed around 1420. It houses
Begijnhof was originally built as a striking collection of wall
a sanctuary for the Begijntjes, a plaques with Biblical themes. The
Catholic sisterhood who lived English Church is located at the
southern side of the square. Its complex was completely surrounded
original Middle Age tower is by water, and the only entrance
still standing. This building to it was at the so-called
dates from the 1400s. Beguines' Alley. The back facades
were locked in by water. Today it
The Begijnhof Chapel is the newer is accessed via the Spui
part of the complex. This entrance, which was built in the
concealed church was built in 19th century.
1680. It contains many historical
Catholic mementos. The origins of The Begijnhof differs from other
the complex are wreathed in mist. aristocratic courts in Amsterdam
It is believed that a house in that it was not setup through
called the Beghynhuys was private donations. The dwellings
occupied by the Beguines here in neighboring the courtyard are
1346. In 1389 the courtyard was tall, classic Amsterdam-style
mentioned in a letter. townhouses. This testifies to the
court’s private nature. The
Nowadays the complex also houses addresses of the houses here bear
the English Reformed Church. It the name of the court itself, a
lies within the Singel, a major fact making the Begijnhof
canal at the center of Amsterdam. absolutely unique. Till date
The complex is one meter below single women live here and
the rest of the historical visitors are advised to keep
center, being located at medieval quiet.
street level. Initially the
About the Author:
Rahul viz recommends that you visit http://www.bookings.nl/city/nl/amsterdam.html?aid=305255 for more information on Maidens in the Venice of North.
Read more articles by: Rahul Viz
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