Flemish Béguinages
The
Béguines were women who dedicated their lives to God without retiring from the world. In the 13th century they founded the
béguinages , enclosed communities designed to meet their spiritual and material needs. The Flemish
béguinages
are architectural ensembles composed of houses, churches, ancillary
buildings and green spaces, with a layout of either urban or rural
origin and built in styles specific to the Flemish cultural region. They
are a fascinating reminder of the tradition of the
Béguines that developed in north-western Europe in the Middle Ages.