BOOK BEGUINAGE
Second revised edition 2025
Discover the fascinating history of the Ghent beguinage Our Lady ter Hoyen in the second, revised edition of Johan Decavele's standard work. To mark the completion of the restoration of the Church of Our Lady Presentation, the non-profit organization is republishing this richly illustrated 276-page book, edited by Michel Nuyttens. Thanks to the support of the Provincial Government of East Flanders and KBC Bank, everyone can once again enjoy this unique reference work, which is now also part of the Canon of Flanders.
The foundation of Our Lady ter Hoyen, also known as the Small Beguinage, is situated in the 13th century. Throughout its history, the beguinage has faced many threats, from the Iconoclasm over the Calvinist Republic of Ghent to French rule. Its greatest heyday was in the 17th century. Hermina Hoogewijs, the last beguine who lived at the court, died in 2005.
The entire beguinage and the church are owned by the non-profit organisation Beguinage Our Lady ter Hoyen. The residential units are exclusively for housing, half of which are social housing.
Welcome
to the Ghent Beguinage
This website originates from the non-profit organisation Beguinage Our Lady ter Hoyen. This non-profit organisation (°1924) is the direct successor of the beguinage community of Ghent. Since the death of the last beguine of our beguinage in 2008, Marcella Van Hoecke, who no longer lived at the beguinage, the organisation now consists solely of volunteers who want to preserve and restore the ancient beguinage to its former glory.
The diligent work will culminate over the next few years in a comprehensive restoration that will return the beguinage, which has been at its current location since 1234, to its former glory.
The beguinage
Our Lady ter Hoyen
GHENT
Or Small Beguinage in Ghent's Lange Violettestraat is atypical city beguinage that still looks very authentic and atmospheric after more than 750 years of History.
Since 1998, the buiginace has also been a Unesco World Heritage Site.
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