Beguinage, Turnhout

The beguinage, formerly home to a religious sisterhood known as the Beguines, was founded in the 13th century on what was then the grounds of the local castle. It is arranged around an elongated tree-filled courtyard, inside of which is a well-preserved Baroque church from 1665. Around the courtyard are many houses, a chapel, a gatehouse at the east end, and the former infirmary which is now a museum of Beguine culture. Today, the beguinage is primarily a rest home for the elderly.