The Begijnhof (Beguinage) was founded in 1258 and formed a separate parish. The beguinage is spread over 11 narrow streets and counts 95 houses. The front doors of the houses bear the name of a saint or a biblical scene. Some façades have panels depicting the Stations of the Cross. The current buildings date mainly from the 17th century.

The beguinage is like a village in the middle of the city, surrounded by brick walls and accessible through four gates. At the centre of the beguinage stands the baroque Sint-Margaretakerk (St Margaret's Church). Construction started in the 17th century, and it was not until a century later that the upper part of the façade and the bell tower were completed.

The Beguinage was restored in the 1990s and was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.