While I hadn't initially known about Het Begijnhof before stumbling upon it on a weekend afternoon,…read moreI'm glad to have visited. It was an insightful glimpse into the hundreds of years of history and thousands of lives impacted by this community, for women seeking religious and economic sanctuary. While it doesn't balance out the inequity of treatment across classes, race, religion and gender back then, it's still quite a progressive undertaking for those times.
Since many other reviews have gone into detail about the religious backgrounds, I'll just add a few observations:
- walking up to the entrance gate, a security guard is posted at all times, he reminds visitors to respectful of the environment and inhabitants of the neighborhood. The streets around are pretty busy and loud so I'm glad that they're there to maintain a calmer environment.
- no walking or stepping on the lawn areas, there are signs with this request posted around the outdoor spaces.
- the chapel designed in 1671 within the two townhouses for catholic worship was considered a "hidden" church, since Catholicism wasn't openly sanctioned after the late 16th century. The church building on the courtyard is a Protestant church; both are working church structures. Though the English Reformed Church building isn't always open for visitor access.
- there's no tourism photography allowed in the chapel so take note for those who like selfies.
Begijnhof is free to visit, hours are 10am-6pm daily.
For more info:
begijnhofkapelamsterdam.nl