Convent of the Beguines in Bruges

The Beguine Monastery in Bruges represents a settlement-community of single Beguines in Flanders and the Netherlands. Beguinages became widespread in the Low Countries in the 13th century. The Beguinage in Bruges today can safely be called a monastery, since nuns of the Order of St. Benedict currently live here, but the first beguines, for whom this place was organized, were not real nuns.

Beguinage

The Beguine Monastery in Bruges founded a women's settlement; women come here voluntarily; they do not have to adhere to faith in God and take full monastic vows. At the same time, you must take an oath to lead a decent lifestyle and obey the abbess. In fact, most of the women who lived here were believers.

For the first time, such women's communities, like the Convent of the Beguines in Bruges, appeared in the city of Liege and then spread throughout Europe. The Beguinage in Bruges was built by the Countess of Flanders at the beginning of the 13th century. Many women at that time needed support, men went on crusades and often never returned, so such settlements were a place of refuge and mutual assistance. At the same time, a woman could always leave and start a family or simply move to another place.

Territory

The Beguine Monastery in Bruges is surrounded by an impressive fence, but entry is free for everyone. The houses are lined up in even rows, the distance between them is not at all large, it seems that they are standing close to each other. Everything is painted white, roofs, windows, doors and other details of the buildings - everything is in the same style and looks very decent. It has its own garden and many well-groomed beautiful flower beds; they say that previously all the free land here was planted with various beds, apparently for the needs of the community. The former house of the abbess stands apart; now a museum has been organized here, in which you can see how humble the life of the beguines living here really was. On the territory of the Monastery of the Beguines in Bruges there is a small chapel and the Church of St. Elizabeth, the patroness of the Beguines.

St. Elizabeth's Church

The church appeared later than the main buildings, but its interior decoration dates back to the 17th-18th centuries. Everything here is as modest as in the rest of the Beguine Monastery in Bruges, but everything you need is there. In the altar there is an image of St. Elizabeth, and there are beautiful elements made of carved wood. A visit to this quiet and peaceful place can leave only the most favorable impressions. Beauty, purity and peace reign in this place. Swans swim in the canal around the territory; they are not at all afraid of people and do not mind receiving a small treat as a sign of a friendly greeting.