A beguinage is a closed courtyard where widows and unmarried women led a religious inspired life under the leadership of a ‘grand dame’.
The beguinage in lier, which dates from the 13th century, consists of 162 houses in 11 streets. It also has a convent and an infirmary, at the center of the beguinage is the St. Margaret's Church. The whole complex is surrounded by a wall, entrance is by a gate at the Schapenkoppenstraat or the Begijnhofstraat.
The Beguinage in Lier, together with 12 other beguinages, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.
View location in Lier, Belgium.