One day 600 beguines lived here…now it’s a place of sacred peace

Just outside the centre of Ghent you will find the “Groot Begijnhof van Sint-Amandsberg”, a special place where time seems to have come to a standstill. Join the guide on a walk through a 19th century ‘town within a town “, an oasis of quiet on sacred soil.

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Beguines were pious, single women who lived a communal life. They took vows of obedience and chastity and supported themselves by sewing, weaving and knitting. The last beguine of Sint-Amandsberg died in 2003, but the site has been well-preserved. It’s even Unesco World Heritage!

Stroll with our guide along the little squares and charming streets and admire the houses, “convents”, chapel and church, the old infirmary and the “groothuis” or big house where the” grootjuffrouw” or “grand-mistress” lived. The beguines come alive again once you listen to the guide’s legends and stories.

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