Explore Religious Heritage Across Europe

The Beguinage of Anderlecht, one of the smallest in the Southern Netherlands, was founded in 1252. The buildings that have survived date from the 16th and 17th centuries. The French Revolution put an end to the presence of beguines. The buildings became charity offices. In 1930, a museum was created there to bring the daily life of the beguines and the history of Anderlecht to life.

The beguinage of Diest dates from the 17th century. The first beguines settled from 1245 on the territory of Webbekom, outside the ramparts of Diest. The houses of the beguines were gradually rebuilt to finally form a beautiful group of houses in traditional style, most of them dating from the 18th century.

The Beguinage of Saint-Elisabeth in Kortrijk was founded in 1238 by the Countess of Flanders Joan of Constantinople. The present forty-one houses, all whitewashed, date from the 17th century. It is one of the Flemish Beguinages on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Beguinage of Turnhout has no precise date of foundation, but it was probably founded in the 13th century. The beguinage has a well-preserved baroque church, an infirmary and houses from the 16th and 17th centuries. It houses a museum on beguine culture.

The Beguinage Ter Hoye, also known as the Little Beguinage, was founded in 1234 by Joanna, Countess of Flanders, after the Great Beguinage. From about 1600 onwards, wooden houses were systematically replaced by stone houses. The most important buildings of the beguinage, including the church, date from the 17th century. The beguinage developed into a place of pilgrimage for St. Godelieve, for which a chapel was built in 1638 (rebuilt in the 18th century). Until 1880, various renovations took place, especially on the façades.

The church of Beiarn, which was consecrated in 1873, is a long church with a tower to the west. It is characterised by a simple Swiss neo-Gothic style and is built according to the drawings of L. W. Nissen from Soløy. In 1972-73 extensions were built on both sides of the tower, including a waiting room for baptisms. At the same time, a new exterior panel was added.

The Beit El Synagogue in Caransebeș is an Ashkenazi synagogue built in 1893. This Neo-Gothic brick building still serves as a synagogue.

The Beit Israel Synagogue in Izmir is a Sephardi synagogue built in 1907-1908 by architect Nissim Levi. This brick building still serves as a synagogue.

The Beit Midrash Hevra Tehilim in Kraków is an Ashkenazi synagogue built 1896 by the architect Nachman Kopald. The synagogue was restored after the Second World War. This Rundbogenstil brick building now serves as a restaurant.

The Beit Midrash in Bardejov is an Ashkenazi synagogue from the late 19th century. In use until WWII, this brick synagogue is now under reconstruction.