BEGINNAGES
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Beguinages were built during the Crusades, when many men did not return from their expeditions. They were a kind of city within a city. They had their own bakery, brewery, nurses' home and church. The beguinage was managed by the so-called Grand Mistress, who organized the daily life of the beguines. Beguines often made a living by making lace or teaching.
Today, there are 23 beguinages left in Belgium, 13 of which have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. |
