Close to the ‘Ossenmarkt’ (Ox-market), in the ‘Rodestraat’ we can find the beguinage of Antwerp. A blank, long and rather high wall hides a nice rest-break.
Alongside the step-gabled entrance, is the old rectory, called ‘Het Spaansche Huis’ (The Spanisch House). In the entrance a small statue of the H.Begga, the patron-saint of the Beguines. Her iconographic attributes - the royal crown, the small church on her feet and the book with the monastic rules in her hand - remember her trifold nobility : the Carlovingian dynastie, the foundation of the monastery in Andenne and the monastic rules. The statue is made by Walter Pompe (1703-1777). However the year 1711 is indicated.
Nevertheless it is the H.Catharina who is the partron-saint of this beguinage and the church.
There are two possibilities to explain the name ‘beguine’. Or it is derived from the name ‘Begga’ or it takes his name from the colour of the beige-coloured habit. (cfr. Blacksisters, Greysisters).
This is not the oldest beguinage in Antwerp. In 1240, some god-fearing women, called beguines, got a piece of ground in the neighbourhood of the ‘Hoog-Kiel’, the place where you can found at the moment the Courthouse at ‘Britse Lei’. They lived there for about three centuries. When Maarten van Rossum from Gelderland invades the town in 1542 the whole beguinage was burned out. (This fact is also the raison why Antwerp didn’t got a gothic city hall. All the material that was brought together on the market square was used for the fortification of the city, and after the invasion and when new material was brought together, the idea of the Renaissance came over from Italy and all designs changed.)
For a small time the beguines moved to ‘Klapdorp’, but in no time they got a new place here in ‘Rodestraat’. Since 1973 the restauration of the beguinage started.
Enterring the big doorway, we can read a small warning message :" Kindly request to all males to visit this beguinage before six p.m. The tenants are requested not to invite or to accomodate persons without permission of the prior. No dogs or allowed without leading-string. " Luckely this message is not meant for us.
We arrive immediattelly on the inner court, surrounded with the small step-gabled houses.
We pay attention so that we don’t break our legs on the small paved roads. We notice the names of the houses like the H.Drievuldigheid (H.Trinity), H.Geest (H.Ghost), Driekoningen (Epiphany), etc
Since the French Revolution the houses get a number, but before that time they just got a name.
The Church, as said before dedicated to the H.Catharina was consecrated in 1546. Except the small houses for the beguines there was a school and an infirmary. In the church we can find some famous paintings. ‘De bespotting van Christus’ (The derision of Christ) - Adam Van Noort (1562-1641) and the ‘Kruisafneming’ (Descent of the Cross) - Jacob Jordanes (1593-1678). The altar was made by the famous artists A.De Boeck and J.B.De Windt.
Alongside the church is a chappel that is consecrated to the ‘Sprekende God’ (Speaking God).
The legend tells us that, when the French arrived, the build asked a beguine to bring the statue in security. The beguine brought the statue away and after the war, three strong man were needed to put it back on his place.
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