This was a peaceful place, an oasis of silence and serenity.. Beuginages were created out of necessity for women during the Crusade when many men did not return from the expedition. They were a city in a city. Beguines had their own bakery, brewery, nursing home or church. They had much in common with the religious sisters as they lived in a closed community, they vowed obedience and they sacrificed their lives to God but without making religious vows.
Today in Belgium are only 23 beguinages and 13 of them are on the UNESCO World heritage List.
The Beguinage is a group of houses around a garden covered with large poplar trees. The Beguinage of Bruges was founded in 1245 by the Countess of Flanders, Margaretha of Constantinople, daughter of Count Baldwin who conquered Constantinople (now Istanbul) during the crusades. In 1299, Philip the beautiful of France, placed the Beguinage under his own rule, thereby withdrawing it from the influence of the town magistrate.
The entrance bears the date of 1776 and the words Sauve Garde (safe guard). Many of the houses, however, are much older than that. Most date in the 17th & 18th century. In the southern part is a little dead end street where still some houses of the 15th & 16th century can be found.
Below is more information on these sanctuaries, if interested.
