The institution “Begijnhof Breda” has been in existence with certainty since March 22, 1267. It has continued to exist uninterrupted until the present day. In 2017, the anniversary of the 750th anniversary was celebrated with numerous activities. The Begijnhof is Breda’s oldest institution and undoubtedly one of the oldest legal entities in the Netherlands. There were once about 1000 beguinages or convents in Europe, of which in a number of cases the buildings still remain, but of which the original institutions have been discontinued. This with the exception of the Begijnhof Breda, which has been under the protection of the Nassau family since 1531.
In addition to general information about the current functioning of the Begijnhof and the activities that are being organized there, you will also find information about the history of this institution on this website. Via the link knowledge center you will find information about the beguine orphans then and now.
The Breda beguinage is definitely worth a visit. When you enter the beguinage you imagine yourself in a different world. The sixteenth-century beguine houses are still inhabited by single women who demand respect for their living environment and the silence in the court. You will find a miniature exhibition in the gatehouse. The Beguinage Museum is located in house 29. The small museum shows the world of the beguines. In the heart of the Begijnhof is an excellently maintained garden with 300 different types of herbs. The herbs are provided with signs with the Latin and Dutch name of the herb in question. On the north side of the complex you will find the nineteenth-century Catherine Church. This church is still in function as a Roman Catholic church building. On the north-east side of the complex is a nineteenth-century extension, the so-called ‘small court’. Here you will find a statue of Johanna van Polanen , the heiress of the lord of Breda who married the first Nassau in 1403. The van Oranje-Nassau family maintains a relationship to this day with the Begijnhof Breda, which dates from the time of Johanna van Polanen .
