Begijnhof - The Wooden House, Amsterdam

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“When I have a terrible need of, shall I say the word religion, then I go out and paint the stars.”
— Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)

IN NEED Taking van Gogh at his word, his painting entitled Starry Night can be viewed as a religious experience!

Following the bloodless revolution of 1578, known as the Alteration, when the Catholic city turned Protestant, the Begijnhof was the only Catholic institution remaining because the houses were the beguines’ private property. Also the beguines were not part of a religious order.

In 1607 the beguines were forced to surrender their chapel; it was given to the English Reformed Church of Amsterdam, which still holds services there. Meanwhile, the beguines continued to worship in the chapel’s sacristy, until that was taken from them. They then used the houses surrounding the courtyard, worshiping at a different house each Sunday.

In 1665, two houses in the Begijnhof, nos. 29 and 30 (see photo #1), were bought, joined together, and in 1671 converted into a new chapel. The city approved the building plans provided the chapel’s exterior did not look like a church. The first service was held in 1682 and they continue today.

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“You turn from the Kalverstraat down the Begijnen-Steeg, pass under an old gateway, and you are in a court surrounded by quaint old buildings, each with its screen of trees.”
— from “The Spell of Holland: the Story of a Pilgrimage to the Land of Dykes and Windmills,” 1911 by Burton Egbert Stevenson

One of the main attractions in the Begijnhof is the Wooden House, Houten Huys, at Begijnhof 34. It is located in the area accessible to all and it is one of two wooden houses still standing in Amsterdam. In 1521 Amsterdam outlawed building in wood after a series of catastrophic fires.

The facade of Houten Huys dates to the 1470s, and it is also believed to be the oldest wooden house in the Netherlands.

To see the old gateway that Mr. Stevenson talks about see photo #4.

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“The enclosure is called The Begijnenhof, or Court of the Begijnen, a little sisterhood named after St. Begga, daughter of Pipinus, Duke of Brabant—a saint who lived at the end of the seventh century and whose day in the Roman Catholic Calendar is December 17.”
— from “A Wanderer in Holland,” 1906, by Edward Verrall Lucas (1868-1938)

Tucked away in the middle of Amsterdam is a courtyard known as the Begijnhof. Surrounding the tranquil grassy courtyard — originally used for bleaching clothes in the sun and drying clothes — are neatly maintained houses, including Amsterdam’s oldest wooden house found at Begijnen #34. The houses’ façades are 17th and 18th century but their frames date from the Middle Ages.

Founded in the 14th century, the Begijnhof was home to the beguines, a Catholic sisterhood who cared for Amsterdam’s sick. They were not nuns because they did not take vows, nor did they enter a convent, and they were free to leave the order if they wished to marry. Continuing the tradition, today these houses are home to single women, but secular in nature.

In the 13th and 14th centuries Beguines — and their male counterparts called Beghards — had set up communities in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Western and Northwestern Germany. Amsterdam’s Begijnhof is not the only inner courtyard so called.

Admission is free and the hours are 08:00 to 17:00.

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The Begijnhof - Beguinage in Amsterdam is certainly a pleasant and quiet part of the old city but as a beguinage I felt surprised by the architectural heterogeneity of this ensemble!
Maybe I am too much accustomed to Belgian begijnhoven-beguinages (there are a dozen only in Flanders) with their great architectural homogeneity.
In Amsterdam I found a number of certainly charming old houses but all different from each other. Compare with the beguinages of Leuven, Brugge or Lier (photo 2) in Belgium and you will understand why I was surprised and somewhat disapointed.
It seems that this change came first from the confiscation of all Catholic churches, monasteries and convents by the Orangist Calvinists authorities in 1578.
In the 17th and 18th alterations were made to the houses in the Begijnhof; and wooden façades were changed. At the restoration of the Begijnhof (1984-1987), the courtyard was renovated and some houses enlarged.
Al this explains probably why this "Begijnhof" in Amsterdam has lost its architectural homogeneity characteristic of beguinages in other countries.

Anyway, the place was quiet and that is an essential characteristic of a begijnhof - beguinage.

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this is a picture of the gate to the begijnhof.
1 may 2003
the people who live here complained about the noise the visitors made. the other half of the inhabitants wanted the begijnhof to be opened again.
a lot of tourists are dissapointed because they will be for a closed gate. i hope it will be opened soon if so respect the people who live here and dont make noise. respect the rules
it is not aloud to make pictures anymore. The people who live here complained because the visitors of begijnhof went into the gardens of the houses and make also a lot of noise.

the wooden house (het houten huys 1528 )is here.
roman catholic church mon. 13.00-18.00, tue-fri. 09.00-18.30, sat. and sun 09.00-18.30.
the english church for services only.
most of the homes around the courtyard were built in the 15th century but were altered throughout the 16th and 18th centuries.
have respect for the people who live here.

19th july 2008 was here again. you cant walk here a lot no more because of the residents.
second picture what you can see now.

2011 Begijnhof is open 9.00 - 17.00

Roman Catholic Church ‘Begijnhofkapel’
Open
Monday: 13.00 - 18.30
Tuesday to Friday: 09.00 - 18.30
Saturday and Sunday: 09.00 - 18.00

The Beguinage and its chapel are open every day from 9.00 - 17.00. After 17.00 you can reach the chapel via the gate at the Spui.

1 may 2003
This is one of the two wooden houses, still existing in Amsterdam; it has been built between 1450 and 1500. (Since 2010 they think its from 1528 )It has a tilted front and a gothic wooden frame. The original entrance is vaguely visible. It is the spot above the present door, exactly on the place of the 'lacking' window.
you can get some information inside or buy a flyer or a postcard. i had a great conversation with the man who work here. real nice and helpfull.
the flyer with information was i think about 25 cents if i remember correctly.
you can ask if you can make a picture of the wooden huys. when i was here there where almost no people. but on a sign it said no pictures, no noise and more.
so again have respect for the people who live here dont make noise and dont go into there gardens.
The Beguinage and its chapel are open every day from 9.00 - 17.00. After 17.00 you can reach the chapel via the gate at the Spui but thats not for tourists but for people who live there or for the church.

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Its funny how you forget famous sites - I was walking along the street and saw people coming and going through an ordinary wooden door (see photo 1) and went through myself and kicked myself for forgetting it was the Begijnhof. Despite many visits to Amsterdam I had never been before and what a place I had missed! Tranquil despite a busy street outside this is a sheltered housing scheme for about 105 women who rent flats in beautifully restored traditional Dutch buildings. There are two greens within the complex and a church called the English Church ( see my tip on this) and a small advice centre. There are 47 houses here and all of them differ to the others and within the 47 houses are 140 flats comprising of 2 or 3 rooms. You are only allowed to walk to the edge of the far green so that the vast majority of the residents are not affected by the many tourists who visit this interesting and tranquil city spot.
"Houten Huys" (wooden house),at No.34 is the oldest wooden house in Holland and dates from 1470.
The Beguinage and its chapel are open every day from 9.00 - 17.00 via the gateway Gedempte Begijnensloot. After 17.00 you can reach the chapel via the gate at the Spui