History Grand Beguinage

On March 31, 2000, the Grand Beguinage of Leuven was inaugurated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This beautiful historic site has a rich history behind it, whose origins date back to the thirteenth century.

Already at the end of the twelfth century, communities of beguines had sprung up in what is now Wallonia. A few decades later, devout women, who for various reasons had not chosen the monastic life, started living together on the fringes of society in Flanders as well. They lived piously and had to work hard to earn a living. And yet the word “beguine” had a somewhat heretical connotation at the time, since at about the same time a great many alternative movements arose that were considered pagan by the Church. After all, beguines did not take the same vows as nuns and they did not live according to the rule of a founder. It wasn't until the mid-thirteenth century that the Beguine movement received official status. In 1311 it was decided to abolish the entire movement. The Pope made an exception for Flanders, and this explains why beguinages continued to exist in our area.

Of all the communities that have survived abolition, that of the Leuven Grand Beguinage is recognized as the oldest. It is thought to have originated around the year 1232, and very soon both the Infirmary and the Holy Ghost Table were managing a large farmstead with dozens of acres of land. The number of beguines grew steadily, and in 1305 the construction of the still existing St. John the Baptist Church began. Around 1700, a period of boom, the Great Beguinage housed just under 300 beguines. After that, the number gradually decreased again. The last beguine died in 1988. The evolution of the number of beguines reflects the ups and downs that our regions have experienced over the centuries. Especially after the Ancien Régime, the beguines were the first to suffer from modern ideas. This eventually led to the complete disappearance of their communities.

From 1800, the larger buildings of the Grand Beguinage were used to house elderly women, widows and orphans, while the houses were rented out to lay families. In 1962 the entire site, with the exception of the church, was sold to K.U.Leuven, which promised to thoroughly restore everything. In the years 1963-1972, in a first phase, most of the Grand Beguinage was restored and transformed into residences for students and professors. Some of the larger buildings were given other uses, and so was Faculty Club.

For those seeking more detailed info on the history of the Grand Beguinage, a brochure is available at the Faculty Club front desk.