Page 28 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2016 - Amsterdam

26 ❯❯ Top 10 Amsterdam Highlights

Begijnhof

This bewitching sanctuary of elegant houses around a tranquil
green was founded in 1346 for the members of a lay Cath olic
sisterhood, the Beguines, the last of whom died in 1971. Although
no original buildings survive, nor the early design of the courtyard
surrounded by water, there is a fascinating
15th-century wooden house, a lovely church
of the same period and an appealing hidden
chapel. Visitors are asked to respect the
privacy of the current residents.
17th- and 3
18th-
Century Houses
After several devastating
fires, most of the existing
houses were built in the
17th and 18th centuries
(right). They are typically
tall and narrow, with
large sash windows and
spout or neck gables.
The sisterhood owned
them, so if a Beguine left
or died, outsiders could
not claim her house.
Today, they provide Plan of Begijnhof
Engelse Kerk
1 homes for 100 or so 7 8 9 2 3
Before the
single women.
Alteration (see p25), the
Het Houten
Beguines worshipped 4
in this pretty 15th- Huis
century church (above). No. 34, Het Houten Huis,
Confiscated in 1578, it is one of the oldest NIEUWEZIJDS VOORBURGWAL GEDEMPTE BEGIJNENSLOOT
was let to a group of houses in Amsterdam
English and Scottish (below), and one of only
Presbyterians in 1607, two wood -fronted houses
who renamed it the in the city. It predates the
“English Church”. 1521 ban on the
construction of wooden
The Beguine in
2 houses, introduced to S P U I
the Gutter
reduce the risk of fire.
To make amends for her
family’s conversion to
Protestantism, Cornelia 4 0 5 6 1
Arents requested in her
Spui Entrance
will not to be buried in 5
the church, but in the Members of the
gutter outside. Legend public use the arched
has it that her coffin was entrance from Gedempte
left inside the church on Begijnensloot, but be
2 May 1654, but the sure to peep discreetly
following day it was into the pretty vaulted
found outside, where she and tiled passageway
was eventually buried. leading to Spui.

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