Bethlehem Monastery Haren

In 1506, two beguines founded a monastery in their parents' house, which they named Bethlehem. The chapel was built in 1520. In 1581, the sisters fled from the Spanish troops, returning only in 1642. In 1794, French troops occupied the monastery, and the sisters had to take care of the soldiers. With the arrival of William II in 1840, monasteries were allowed to train novices again, marking the beginning of a new flourishing period. In 1845, the enclosure was introduced. The sisters stayed behind bars and spent their time in silence and prayer.
A turning point came, and in 1912, the sisters started providing education. They stopped doing this in 1948 and began making church vestments. The monastery closed in 1965. Bethlehem became a furniture palace, and after renovations, it turned into an event and congress center.

VisitBrabant