Welcome to the Old World
An impression of the Beguinage in the Belgian city of Leuven. A beguinage was a community of unmarried woman who took several semi-religious vows (chastity and humility) but notably no vow of poverty. Their vows also did not last a lifetime and they could leave the beguinage whenever they wanted.
They lived together in semi-closed neighbourhoods outside the town walls or at least outside the centre of town. They had their own houses (or shared a larger house among several women) and made a living by handwork or sometimes aquired some fortune by trading.
Their origins are not entirely clear. Perhaps they originated as a protest against the openly frivolous lifestyle of medieval clergy. Another hypothesis links their origins to a lack of men due to the crusades and the wars that plagued the Europe of the high Middle Ages. Whatever their origins, they eventually developed into succesfull independant comunities.
Welcome to the Old World belongs to the following groups:
BEAUTIFUL BELGIUM (Belgie, Belgique), Heritage in Stone, Historic Landmarks of Europe, The Dutch Connection and à EUROPA! Available for sale asGreeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters
MarekM
Beautiful work – great capture!!!
bubbleblue
Great capture.
Vicki Ferrari
Great shot BFG!