World Heritage Photos - Flemish Béguinage of Sint-Truiden

Flemish Béguinage of Sint-Truiden – The St Agnes Church as the Centrepiece

The UNESCO-listed Béguinage of Sint-Truiden is part of a group of historic Flemish béguinages in Belgium, and is particularly interesting due to its oustanding church. The béguinage was founded in 1258; very little remains of the surrounding wall, and the entrance gate no longer exists. The Béguinage Church of Saint Agnes was built in the 13th century. This historic church houses an exceptional collection of religious art; most notable are the numerous wall and pillar paintings from around 1300 to the beginning of the 17th century. The Festraets Studio in the béguinage houses a world-famous astronomical clock and a replica of Foucault's pendulum.

Béguinages were founded in the 13th century across the Netherlands and Flanders, at the time part of the Low Countries . A béguinage traditionally consists of a group of small houses built around a church or chapel and enclosed by a wall with an entrance gate. Béguines chosed to live in a béguinage and dedicated their lives to God without retiring from the world. Just like nuns, they lived a deeply religious life, but did not take religious vows.

Thirteen Flemish béguinages became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. The Béguinage of Sint-Truiden is part of this site. Other Flemish béguinages are the Béguinage of Diest and the Béguinage of Tongeren. The Belgian town of Sint-Truiden features two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Flemish béguinages and the Belfries of Belgium and France.

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Flemish Béguinage of Sint-Truiden - Flemish Béguinage of Sint-Truiden: The Church of Saint Agnes, also known as Béguinage Church, is considered one of the oldest and...

Flemish Béguinage of Sint-Truiden: The Church of Saint Agnes, also known as Béguinage Church, is considered one of the oldest and most beautiful churches of all the Flemish Béguinages. The construction began in 1258. The organ of the church dates from 1656. The church is renowned for its thirty-eight murals and paintings on the pillars, dating from the late 13th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The Béguinage of Sint-Truiden is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Flemish Béguinage of Sint-Truiden: The Church of Saint Agnes, also known as Béguinage Church, is considered one of the oldest and most beautiful churches of all the Flemish Béguinages. The construction began in 1258. The organ of the church dates from 1656. The church is renowned for its thirty-eight murals and paintings on the pillars, dating from the late 13th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The Béguinage of Sint-Truiden is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Flemish Béguinage of Sint-Truiden: The Church of Saint Agnes is located in a rectangular grass courtyard bordered by centuries-old béguinage houses; the majority of these houses date back to the 17th and 18th centuries. The church is the heart of the Flemish Béguinage of Sint-Truiden. An infirmary and a béguinage farm were built just outside the courtyard. The bleaching field in front of the church was used to bleach and dry the laundry.
Flemish Béguinages: One of the historic houses of the Flemish Béguinage of Sint-Truiden. The Béguinage of Sint-Truiden was founded in 1258. The béguinage was built outside the town walls of Sint-Truiden; the béguinage was surrounded by its own wall and had its own entrance gate. In its heyday, there were about 200 beguines living in this béguinage.
Flemish Béguinage of Sint-Truiden: One of the historic houses in the béguinage, the Church of Saint Agnes or the Béguinage Church, is situated in the background. A béguinage consists of a group of small houses built around a church or chapel, enclosed by a wall with an entrance gate. Thirteen Flemish Béguinages were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998.
Flemish Béguinage of Sint-Truiden: The Tower House was probably the residence of the Grande Dame. This Great Lady ruled over the Béguinage of Sint-Truiden. The wall anchor on the façade of the Tower House mentions the year 1619. Béguinages were founded in the beginning of the 13th century in the Low Countries (modern-day Netherlands). Flanders was at the time part of this region.
Flemish Béguinages: The former water well in the Flemish Béguinage of Sint-Truiden. Today, it is used as a flower box. Béguines lived in a béguinage (Dutch: begijnhof); Béguines were religious women who dedicated their lives to God without retiring completely from the world. Much like nuns, béguines (Dutch: begijnen) lived a religious life but did not take solemn vows.
A brick house in the former Flemish Béguinage of Sint-Truiden. Women who lived in a béguinage supported themselves with nursing and traditional textile skills, such as weaving, spinning, lace- and cloth-making. Béguines also spent time in religious contemplation to experience the vision of God. The town of Sint-Truiden is situated in the province of Limburg, in the Flemish region of Belgium. It lies between the cities of Leuven and Liège.
The belfry of Sint-Truiden is situated outside the béguinage of Sint-Truiden. This impressively decorated tower is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Belfries of Belgium and France. The town of Sint-Truiden consists of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Flemish Béguinages and Belfries of Belgium and France. Sint-Truiden is a historic town in Belgium.