Just outside the 9 Streets, hidden behind a wooden door at the Spui, you will find this picturesque hidden courtyard. Once you step inside the Begijnhof, you actually do not believe that you’re still in the heart of Amsterdam. Houses with beautiful facades encircle a garden, with a chapel near the entrance gate. The courtyard was founded here in the Middle Ages.
About 1150 women built a form of religious coexistence; in these beguines they lived together in a tiny courtyard and were able to keep their personal freedom in practicing their religious and daily practices. Unlike nuns living in the convent with stricter monastery connection. The Beguine is open daily from 9:00 to 17:00, free to visit through the gate on the Spui. The gate is a bit hidden, you can find it to the right (for viewers) by The American Book Centre on the Spui.