Begijnhof

The Begijnhof is the most peaceful place in central Amsterdam and one of its oldest, and stepping into it from the shopping streets feels like walking through a wardrobe into another century. It was founded in the fourteenth century as a community for the Beguines, Catholic laywomen who lived together in religious devotion and charitable work without taking the vows of nuns. The courtyard survived the Reformation of 1578, when Catholic worship was banned in public, because the houses belonged to the women themselves; the Beguines carried on quietly, and the last of them, Sister Antonia, died in 1971. Today the houses are still home to single women, and the courtyard remains a residential sanctuary. Around a green lawn stand tall, narrow houses from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and among them Het Houten Huis, the wooden house at number 34, generally considered the oldest wooden house in Amsterdam and one of only two left in the city centre, after timber buildings were banned following devastating fires. In the middle of the courtyard stands the English Reformed Church, a medieval chapel given to the English and Scottish Presbyterian community in the seventeenth century, with links to the Pilgrim Fathers; opposite, behind the facade of two ordinary houses, is the Begijnhof Chapel, a clandestine Catholic church created in 1671 by joining two houses, when Catholics could worship only out of sight. Entry is free, through the arched gate on the Spui square, and the courtyard is open to visitors during the day. Because this is a private home for its residents, visitors are asked to keep quiet, not to enter in large tour groups, and not to photograph the residents.

What to look for: the Houten Huis, with its dark timber facade, is the instant photograph, and the wall beside it holds a collection of carved stone tablets rescued from demolished houses. In the hidden chapel, stained glass and paintings tell the story of the Miracle of Amsterdam of 1345, a eucharistic miracle that made the city a pilgrimage destination in the Middle Ages. The English Reformed Church is still used by an English-speaking Presbyterian congregation, and it occasionally hosts concerts. Take time to sit on a bench and notice the quiet; the noise of the city fades almost completely behind the surrounding houses.

Visiting well: the Begijnhof is open daily during daytime hours, entered through the arched gate on the Spui square. Groups and guided tours are restricted to keep the courtyard calm, so visit independently, and keep your voice low. Morning is quietest. A visit takes twenty to thirty minutes, and it is easy to combine with the shopping streets of the Kalverstraat, the book market on the Spui on Fridays, and the cafés around the square, including some of the city's best-known traditional brown cafés.

Who will love it: history lovers, photographers who respect the rules, and anyone who needs a pause from the busy centre. Families can visit, but children should be warned in advance that this is a place for whispering. Couples will enjoy the contrast between the silent courtyard and a drink on the lively Spui afterward. The Begijnhof pairs naturally with the Royal Palace and Dam Square to the north, a canal walk to the west, and the flower market on the Singel a few minutes' walk to the south.