Holy Corner (Begijnhof Ghent)
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The Holy Corner (English for the Oud begijnhof) or Old Saint Elisabeth is a
Location
Holy Corner is a protected urban heritage site. It is now a largely urban neighbourhood in the northeast of Ghent, close to the Rabot (originally a Spanish fortification, now a Ghent neighbourhood as well), between the Burgstraat and the Begijnhoflaan.
Holy Corner can easily be reached by general transport. Since its newest addition is the
History
In the 13th century, a number of devout, unmarried and lay women, who had been helping the
The beguinage constructed in 1234, and soon named after Saint-Elisabeth who was canonized in 1236, grew into a little town of its own, with a church, a "Grootjuffer" house, an infirmary (with its own chapel), 18 convents, a big laundry meadow (used by the beguines who took in laundry of rich Ghent inhabitants) and a large orchard.
During the
After a number of beguines voluntarily settled in a new beguinage at Our Lady Ter Hoyen, the conflict between the Saint Elisabeth beguinage and the town administration dominated by the
After 1874
After the departure of the beguines, the beguinage became a social housing area. There was less investment in infrastructure and accommodation and the area became a prime example of urban decay.
However, in the 20th century, some voices started to be heard that clamoured for the preservation of this unique urban site. Thanks to this, both private enterprise and the town of Ghent started to invest more into local housing, and from 1984 on the neighbourhood even began to feel the effects of gentrification. As often, artists were the first to come here: Constant Permeke, Albert Servaes and Frits Van den Berghe all once lived at Van Akenstraat, 7 (but not simultaneously).
In English, the neighbourhood is commonly known as "Holy Corner". The name was originally coined by the late local Church of England vicar, Cameron Walker, who was of
See also
- Holy Corner in Edinburgh.
References
- ^ "Het begijnhof Sint Aubertus (Poortacker) te Gent". lib.ugent.be. Retrieved 2020-08-28.