Flemish Béguinages World Heritage Site

Official name

Flemish Béguinages | UNESCO

Country

Belgium | Map

Continent

Europe

Location

Flanders Region, Provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Eastern Flanders, Western Flanders, and Flemish Brabant
51.3090° Lat, 4.4737° Lon | Map

Code

855

Time Zone

Europe/Brussels (CEST, +0200)

Current Time

Category

Cultural

Description

Inscribed 1998. The Béguines were women who dedicated their lives to God without retiring from the world. In the 13th century they founded the béguinages , enclosed communities designed to meet their spiritual and material needs. The Flemish béguinages are architectural ensembles composed of houses, churches, ancillary buildings and green spaces, with a layout of either urban or rural origin and built in styles specific to the Flemish cultural region. They are a fascinating reminder of the tradition of the Béguines that developed in north-western Europe in the Middle Ages.