Begijnhof
The Begijnhof is one of Amsterdam’s oldest hofjes, a small inner court tucked within the city’s medieval ring of canals. Today you stand in a site that, while now a quiet residential enclave, began as a béguinage—a religiously-inspired housing complex for beguines who lived here with a vow of chastity but could marry if they chose. The Begijnhof is the only inner court founded in the Middle Ages and sits at medieval street level, about a meter below the surrounding city center. From its beginnings, the complex was once ringed by water—the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, the Spui, and the Begijnensloot—with a single entrance at Begijnensteeg, connected by a bridge. The Spui entrance was added in the 19th century, changing the old water-locked approach. The court now hosts two churches: the Catholic Miracle Church and the English Reformed Church, reflecting centuries of change and continuity. …
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