Groot Begijnhof Sint-Amandsberg - Sint-Amandstraat 1

The Great Beguinage of Sint-Amandsberg () is an eight-hectare

beguinage A beguinage, from the French language, French term , is an architectural complex which was created to house beguines: lay religious women who lived in community without taking vows or retiring from the world. Originally the beguine institution w ...

in the Sint-Amandsberg suburb, just outside the centre of

Ghent Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...

, Belgium. It was built between 1873 and 1874 on the abandonment of the Old St. Elizabeth Beguinage in the city centre. There is also a third beguinage in Ghent, that of Our-Lady Ter Hooyen.

History

Groot Begijnhof Sint-Amandsberg - Church 1

Groot Begijnhof Sint-Amandsberg - Gate 1

Around 1234, Joanne of Constantinople founded a small and large beguinage in Ghent, both dedicated to

Elizabeth of Hungary Elizabeth of Hungary (, , ; 7 July 120717 November 1231), also known as Elisabeth of Thuringia, was a princess of the Kingdom of Hungary and the landgravine of Thuringia. Elizabeth was married at the age of 14, and widowed at 20. After her hus ...

, also known as Saint Elizabeth of

Thuringia Thuringia (; officially the Free State of Thuringia, ) is one of Germany, Germany's 16 States of Germany, states. With 2.1 million people, it is 12th-largest by population, and with 16,171 square kilometers, it is 11th-largest in area. Er ...

. In the second half of the 19th century, these fell into difficulties with the city authorities, since they were on sites needed for urban expansion. New streets were being built and new canals cut, so their isolated nature was lost. Eventually, the city sought an alternative site for the beguinages outside the city centre. Engelbert, 8th Duke of Arenberg had already bought the large and small beguinages and he also bought a site on the Sint-Baafskouter, where construction of a new beguinage began in 1873. It was fully planned by the architect Arthur Verhaegen and with a large central aisled church by Jean-Baptiste de Bethune, dedicated to Saint Elizabeth, Saint

Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...

and the Holy Angels. It has a curtain wall with two entrance gates. Each house and convent except the Groothuis has a front lawn and is enclosed by walls, with niches holding saints above or beside gates in the garden walls. It is the only

neo-Gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half of the 19th century ...

beguinage in Flanders. The beguinage was completed in only two years with eighteen builders working on it simultaneously. It became operational on 29 September 1874 with about 600 beguines and its church was opened on 28 September the following year, with more decoration added the year after. It was classed as a monument in 1994 and listed as part of the Flanders Beguinages

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

in 1998. The last beguines died in January and August 2003 and the buildings were gradually converted to other functions, particularly for charities.

References

{{Coord, 51.0569, N, 3.7478, E, source:wikidata, display=title Beguinages Buildings and structures in Ghent