Begijnhof, peaceful and tranquil

Begijnhof, Peaceful And Tranquil

Amsterdam | Free

Patrick | tuesday, february 2, 2019

Address

Spui entrance
Map: Spui entrance Begijnhof

Old entrance
Map: Old entrance Begijnhof

Opening times

Daily from 9 am to 5 pm

The Begijnhof is an oasis of peacefulness and tranquillity in the centre of busy Amsterdam. Most visitors that visit the great city of Amsterdam don’t know it exists and will never experience the quietness of it. This is one of many the hidden gems of Amsterdam.

The entrance of the Begijnhof

There are two entrances to the Begijnhof.
The old gate dates from 1574 and has been restored in 1907. It has a gable stone picturing Sabut Ursula. She was the Patron Saint of the beguines in Amsterdam. This gate you can reach from the Gedempte Beginensloot.
The Spui gate is from 1725 and was restored in the 19th century. It is a beautiful arched doorway that brings you from the busy streets of Amsterdam to the quietness of the courtyard.

Residence of the Begijnhof

The Courtyard is one of the oldest in Amsterdam, and it was established in the middle ages. It is not completely clear when the Begijnhof was founded, but it was in the 14th century. The first residents were beguines. Beguines are lay religious women that lived together but not taken any vows. The last sister residing in the Begijnhof was Sister Antonia, she lived there until the age of 84. She past away in 1971. Amsterdam was not the only place where beguines lived, there were communities like this all over Holland.

Nowadays most of the houses are residential.

I think it would be incredible to live in a house like this, so much history. A quiet, peaceful and tranquil place right in the middle of busy Amsterdam.

English Reformed Church.

The 15th century English Reformed Church is also known as the Scots kirk of Amsterdam. It is the home of an English speaking congregation that affiliates itself with the Church of Scotland. You can visit the beautiful church, have a look at here website when the opening times are.

Begijnhof chapel.

This is a hidden chapel that tells the story of the miracle of Amsterdam. This chapel is the place where the genuine went to pray. Visiting the chapel is still possible. Have a look at their website for their opening times.

Wooden front house.

One of the oldest houses in the Begijnhof is a house in the south-west corner of the courtyard. It has a wooden font on it. Read more about the house.

Rest of the houses in the Begijnhof.

Most of the houses are residential. So people live their lives there. They really don’t mind you having a look at this amazing piece of Amsterdam. Some part of the courtyard is only for residence and please don't walk on the grass. Please be respectful and honour their privacy of the residents that live and work here.