BEGIJNHOF
This bewitching sanctuary of elegant houses around a tranquil green was founded in 1346 for the members of a lay Catholic sisterhood, the Beguines, the last of whom died in 1971. Although no original buildings survive, nor the early design of the courtyard surrounded by water, there is a fascinating 15th-century wooden house, a lovely church of the same period, and an appealing hidden chapel. Visitors are asked to respect the privacy of the current residents.
Plan of Begijnhof
NEED TO KNOW
Spui (entrance on Gedempte Begijnensloot) • 020 622 1918 • www.begijnhofamsterdam.nl • Open 9am–5pm daily
Begijnhof Chapel: open 1–6:30pm Mon, 9am–6:30pm Tue–Fri, 9am–6pm Sat–Sun
- Café Luxembourg and traditional Café Hoppe are just around the corner in Spui (at Nos. 18 and 24 respectively).
- Services are held in Dutch (daily) and French (Sundays) in the Roman Catholic Begijnhof Chapel. Services in English are held in the Protestant Engelse Kerk (Sundays).
- Enjoy a concert at the Engelse Kerk.
- Pick up an information booklet from Het Houten Huis.
1. Engelse Kerk
Before the Alteration, the Beguines worshipped in this pretty 15th-century church. Confiscated in 1578, it was let to a group of English and Scottish Presbyterians in 1607, who renamed it the “English Church.”
Engelse Kerk
2. The Beguine in the Gutter
To make amends for her family’s conversion to Protestantism, Cornelia Arents requested in her will not to be buried in the church, but in the gutter outside. Legend has it that her coffin was left inside the church on May 2, 1654, but the following day it was found outside, where she was eventually buried.
3. 17th- and 18th- Century Houses
After several devastating fires, most of the existing houses were built in the 17th and 18th centuries. They are typically tall and narrow, with large sash windows and spout or neck gables. The sisterhood owned them, so if a Beguine left or died, outsiders could not claim her house. Today, they provide homes for 100 or so single women.
17th- and 18th- Century Houses
4. Het Houten Huis
No. 34, Het Houten Huis, is one of the oldest houses in Amsterdam, and one of only two wood-fronted houses in the city. It predates the 1521 ban on the construction of wooden houses, introduced to reduce the risk of fire.
Het Houten Huis
5. Spui Entrance
Members of the public use the arched entrance from Gedempte Begijnensloot, but be sure to peep discreetly into the pretty vaulted and tiled passageway leading to Spui.
6. Statue of a Beguine
The statue by Engelse Kerk shows a Beguine dressed in a traditional falie (headdress) and long garment of undyed cloth.
7. Begijnhof Chapel
The city’s first hidden chapel was created in 1665, when the Beguines converted two ordinary houses into a little church. The Miracle of Amsterdam is commemorated here.
Begijnhof Chapel
8. Mother Superior’s House
The grandest house, No. 26, belonged to the Mother Superior. In the 20th century, the last of the Beguines lived together here.
9. Wall Plaque on No. 19
The story depicted on this handsome plaque illustrates the return from Egypt to Israel of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph after the death of Herod.
10. Courtyard with Wall Plaques
Set into the wall of the courtyard behind Het Houten Huis is a collection of wall plaques from demolished houses. In keeping with the religious nature of the Beguines, each one tells a biblical story.
THE WELFARE SYSTEM
Charity lies at the heart of Amsterdam’s long tradition of caring for the poor and needy, which goes back to the Middle Ages. In the 14th century, primary responsibility for social welfare passed from the church to the city authorities. They distributed food to the poor and set up institutions to care for orphans, the sick, and the insane. In the 17th century, a number of wealthy merchants funded hofjes (almshouses) that provided subsidized mass housing for the city’s needy.
