Begijnhof de Turnhout

Walk into the beguinage through the early neoclassical gate building from 1700 with a statue of Saint Begga. She has been (since the 17th century) the patroness of the beguines and is therefore prominently present in the church and the museum. In the last quarter of the 17th century and the first quarter of the 18th century, about 350 beguines lived in the beguinage. Their number gradually decreased afterward. The last beguine was the Dutch Joanna de Boer, who had to leave the beguinage in 1999 due to illness. She passed away in 2002 and was buried on the south side of the church.
The Turnhout beguinage is a gem. Not only because of the tranquility but also thanks to the numerous historic buildings. The most beautiful examples date back to the 17th century. The Sint-Jansconvent (house number 56), where the unique beguinage museum is now located, was built around 1680. The Holy Cross Church was consecrated in 1666. This church is an example of the interaction between late Gothic and Baroque styles. In the back left of the beguinage stands the chapel of the Holy Countenance from 1885-1887, which contains a beautiful statue of Saint Columba. The chapel was financed by the grand dame Octavie Van Genechten. In the middle of the beguinage, there is a Lourdes grotto with many thank you plaques for healings. Provincial architect Jules Taeymans designed the houses on the left of the entrance in an adapted style in 1911. The beguinage has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.

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