Tongeren Béguinage

Tongeren, Belgium

Tongeren Béguinage, founded in 1257 is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. Its enclosure wall was destroyed in the 19th century: it separated the beguinage from the rest of the city and thus guaranteed peace and quiet for the small religion-inspired community. In the 17th century the beguinage counted some 300 beguines; it was also able to survive the 1677 fire that destroyed most of the city. In the center of the béguinage stands the Saint Catherine Church, built in 1294 and one of the oldest churches in the entire city.

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 1257
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in Belgium

More Information

www.tongeren.be

Rating

4.3/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Rafaël Elsen (3 years ago)
Very nice to visit. A confrontation with a piece of history that we did not know. Beautiful location.
Nick Lieten (3 years ago)
Boeiend en mooi museum!
Ammadeus (3 years ago)
Beautiful old place. The museum is small but interesting.
Pierre Thijs (3 years ago)
Very beautiful and educational!!
Miranda Muls (4 years ago)
Heel goede gids, plezant de 2 uren waren zo voorbij.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Château de Niort

Château de Niort is a medieval castle in the French town of Niort. It consists of two square towers, linked by a 15th-century building and dominates the Sèvre Niortaise valley.

The two donjons are the only remaining part of the castle. The castle was started by Henry II Plantagenet in the 12th century and completed by Richard the Lionheart. It was defended by a rectangular curtain wall and was damaged during the Wars of Religion. In the 18th century, the castle served as a prison.

The present keeps were the central point of a massive fortress. The southern keep is 28m tall, reinforced with turrets. The northern tower is slightly shorter at 23m. Both are flanked with circular turrets at the corners as well as semicircular buttresses. Each of the towers has a spiral staircase serving the upper floors. The Romanesque architecture is of a high quality with the dressed stones closely jointed.