Flemish Béguinages: The Flemish Béguinage of Sint-Truiden is one of the Flemish Béguinages in Belgium. Béguinages were founded in the 13th century in the Netherlands and Flanders, at the time a region of the Netherlands. A béguinage consists of a group of small houses built around a church or chapel and enclosed by a wall with an entrance gate. Béguines lived in a béguinage. Béguines were women who dedicated their lives to God without retiring from the world. Just like nuns, they lived a religious life, but did not take religious vows. The Flemish Béguinage of Sint-Truiden was founded in 1258. The entrance gate no longer exists. There is also very little left of the surrounding wall. The Béguinage Church of Saint Agnes was built in the 13th century. This béguinage church houses religious art; notable are the numerous wall and pillar paintings from around 1300 to the beginning of the 17th century. Thirteen Flemish Béguinages gained status as 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 consists of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Flemish Béguinages and the Belfries of Belgium and France.
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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.
