Tucked away deep in Amsterdam’s city centre lies the Begijnhof, a serene, 14th-century courtyard surrounded by tall townhouses with traditional Dutch facades. At the Begijnhof, you can find some respite from the fast pace and noises of the Netherlands’ capital.
The Begijnhof is a former beguinage where certain religious women — known as beguines — would modestly reside. Unlike nuns, beguines did not have to take any monastic vows and were free to come and go as they pleased. While the beguines no longer live at the Begijnhof, as the last one passed away in 1971, the Begijnhof’s legacy still lives on and it is still exclusively occupied by women.
Once in the Begijnhof, you’ll come across an enclosed courtyard and garden which operate as a sort of sanctuary in the centre of Amsterdam. At the centre, there are two churches — the English Reformed Church and the Begijnhof Chapel — which are steeped in history. Another main attraction is The Wooden House (Houten Huys), found at house number 34, which is one of the only wooden houses still standing in Amsterdam’s core.
