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KORTRIJK :
The St. Elisabeth Beguinage |
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GENERAL Kortrijk (Home) History Battle of the golden spurs Info on Belgium SIGHTSEEING The Town Hall The Beguinage Our Lady's Church Other Monuments Museums
EXTERNAL LINKS
What is a Beguinage ? Check our page about the Beguinage of Bruges to find out. |
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 Behind the Church of Our Lady is the Begijnhofstraat. On the right is the entrance of the
St. ELISABETH BEGUINAGE.Past the gate,one immediately feels the cosy atmosphere that dominates the Beguinage. The Beguinage consists of about 40 small houses dating back to the 17th century. Nowadays, the last beguine and a couple of aged ladies are still living there.
A little further is the old chapel of 1465, a round stairs tower, the corner of the St-Anne's room, the last novice house or convent at number 17, and the picturesque Our Lady of Snow's Chapel. Against one of the houses is a modern statue of a beguine, dedicated to "Juffrouw Marcella, de laatste Kortrijkse Begijn" (Miss Marcella, the last beguine of Kortrijk).
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© All texts and pictures Copyright
Trabel.com and
Arakea.com. |
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In
the middle of a lawn rises the statue of Countess Joanna of Constantinople,
who is considered to be the foundress of the Beguinage. The house with the
stepped gable, in which the Superior Lady lived, is now a small museum that
evokes the history of and thelife in the Beguinage in former times.
