Among the city saturated with tourists, this is a very quiet and peaceful place: snow-white houses, a cozy park, a pond in which snow-white swans swim, an old church. There are 30 houses here, which are built in the same Gothic style with snow-white facades, while the roof and window frames are dark. The buildings look strict, but very harmonious.
The lifestyle of the beguins was strict, but they did not belong to the nuns (the tonsure was not required, although the majority were believers). Beginks were considered independent, they could leave the monastery at any time, and then return. They independently earned a living, mainly performing public works: raising orphans, washing linen for the hospital, helping the poor.
Now not many beguinages have survived, although in the 13th century they appeared in many countries of Western Europe. Since the 20th century, the nuns of the Order of St. Benedict have been living in the monastery.
The monastery is a UNESCO site. There is also a small museum on the territory, which is housed in a one-story building where the abbess lived. It demonstrates the life of beguines - furniture, a fireplace, kitchen utensils, lace and embroidery made by them, and other accessories. There is a chapel on the territory of the monastery, and nearby is the Church of St. Elizabeth, who was considered the patroness of beguins. In the church, you can admire the Baroque decoration, which appeared in the interior as a result of reconstruction in the 17th century. The building itself was built much earlier. There are many sculptures in the church. Here is the oldest statue of the Virgin Mary in Bruges, created in 1240.
The lifestyle of the beguins was strict, but they did not belong to the nuns (the tonsure was not required, although the majority were believers). Beginks were considered independent, they could leave the monastery at any time, and then return. They independently earned a living, mainly performing public works: raising orphans, washing linen for the hospital, helping the poor.
Now not many beguinages have survived, although in the 13th century they appeared in many countries of Western Europe. Since the 20th century, the nuns of the Order of St. Benedict have been living in the monastery.
The monastery is a UNESCO site. There is also a small museum on the territory, which is housed in a one-story building where the abbess lived. It demonstrates the life of beguines - furniture, a fireplace, kitchen utensils, lace and embroidery made by them, and other accessories. There is a chapel on the territory of the monastery, and nearby is the Church of St. Elizabeth, who was considered the patroness of beguins. In the church, you can admire the Baroque decoration, which appeared in the interior as a result of reconstruction in the 17th century. The building itself was built much earlier. There are many sculptures in the church. Here is the oldest statue of the Virgin Mary in Bruges, created in 1240.
Translated automatically from Russian. View original
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