Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta (Brussels) Belgium

Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta (Brussels) - Belgium

Short Report

The four large mansions - Hôtel', tassel, Hotel Solvay, Hotel of Eetvelde and Maison * Atelier Horta - located in Brussels and designed by the architect Victor Horta, one of the oldest initiators of Art Nouveau architecture, are some of the most remarkable breakthrough works of architecture of the end of the 19th century. The stylistic revolution represented by this work is characterised by the open, the spread of light, and the brilliant merge of the curved lines of decoration with the structure of the building.

Wide Report

The appearance of the Art Nouveau in the last years of the 19th century a decisive phase in the development of architecture, allowing any subsequent developments, and the four mansions of Victor Horta in Brussels (Hôtel', tassel, Hotel Solvay, Hotel of Eetvelde, Maison et Atelier Horta) exceptional witness of its radical new approach. They brilliantly illustrate the transition from the 19th to the 20th century in the art, found and society. The stylistic revolution represented by this work is characterized by an open, the spread of light, and the brilliant merge of the curved lines of decoration with the structure of the building.

The Hotel', tassel can be regarded as the founding fathers of Art Nouveau. In job of Professor Emile', tassel in 1893, it was the first work in which Horta had failed to achieve its original design of architecture. The house was completed in 1894, but remained Horta design furniture for a number of years. After the Second World War the house was divided into small flats, so little decoration remained visible. In 1976, the street facade and the doors were restored and the building is adapted as prestige offices. The street facade, built from natural stone, it is remarkably integrated in its context. Above the entrance is a two-storey bay window in an innovative steel construction. On the other side of the street the building is the entrance, a mezzanine, first and second floor and a loft. These levels are shifted to the garden side by means of a central staircase.

Commissioned by Armand Solvay, Hôtel Solvay was built from 1895 to 1898, with furniture completed in 1903. In 1957 the building was the place of fashion house; in 1980 the owners began with the restoration of the building, including the return of the glass ceilings of the main stage, cooling of the passenger compartment, and the restoration of the facade. It is the best preserved of all Horta's house and keep the passenger compartment intact, including original artwork and the utilities in operating condition. In 1895, the diplomat and secretary-general of the Congo, Of Eetvelde, which the parliament that bears his name and start of construction in 1897. The building was a house for the family and a prestigious setting for the reception of international guests. The west wing area was completed in 1900 and the east wing in 1901. In 1920, after the death of Mme Of Eetvelde the property is divided into two parts.

The Maison et Atelier Horta responded to the professional and family needs of the architect, and were built in 1898-1901 on two parties in a trendy area of the city. After his divorce, he rented the building for a while, but then remained living there, making changes in the interior; a terrace and winter garden were added and the studio was increased. The facade is built from stone and has subtle designed metal railing. The most spectacular element in the building is represented by the huge glass ceiling on the main stage. In 1919 the buildings were sold to Large Henri Pinte and in 1926 the two parts of the building were separated. In 1961 the municipality of Saint Gilles acquired the residence for a museum of Horta's work.

The four mansions by Victor Horta forms an essential link in the classical tradition of the Modern Movement in the history of architecture, such as conceived by one of the pioneers of the Art Nouveau. He revolution in the architectural concepts of his time with the introduction of the idea of an open and the creation of real dialog of materials and their applications according to their intrinsic nature within a new vision decoration. The Horta buildings soar in the 19th-century tradition of bourgeois residential buildings, where residential and representative functions, for which a subtle organization of spaces and differential movement. In any case, Horta's genius made a coherent unit of architecture and decoration, reflects the personality of the owner.

Historical Data

The Hotel', tassel can be regarded as the founding fathers of Art Nouveau. In job of Professor Emile', tassel in 1893, it was the first work in which Victor Horta was able to his original view of architecture, with all the attributes that he developed in his other mansions. The house was completed in 1894, but remained Horta design furniture for a few years, as well as some minor changes requested by the client. When you are ready, the Hôtel', tassel which mixed reactions, but it was soon regarded as an essential element in the development of modern architecture. After the Second World War the house was divided into small flats so little decoration remained visible. In 1976, the architect Jean Jager bought the house restored the street facade and the doors, and adaptation of the building to function as prestige offices.

Commissioned by Armand Solvay, Hôtel Solvay was built from 1895 to 1898, with furniture completed in 1903. The construction of buildings was designed by the architects C Bosmans and H Vandeveld, starting in 1899, although Horta can be consulted for the design. The Solvay family maintained the house until 1957, when M and Mme Wittamer-De Camps purchased, so as to prevent the demolition. The building was the headquarters of their fashion house, for any changes. The southern light-well, of which the glass was broken in 1942 was closed by atelier floors. On the ground floor two large display windows were opened. After the transfer of the fashion activity elsewhere in 1980, the owners started with the restoration of the building, including the return of the glass ceilings of the main stage (1980-82), cooling of the passenger compartment, and the restoration of the facades (1988-89).

Commissioned by M and Mme Of Eetvelde in 1895, the construction of the Hotel Of Eetvelde began in 1897; the west wing was completed in 1900, and the east wing in 1901. In 1920, after the death of Mme Of Eetvelde, the property was divided into two parts. The original building and the east wing (4 avenue City Of Palmerston) was sold to the Pouppez Kettenis the family, who live there about 30 years. In 1950 it was bought by the current owner, the Fédération de l'Industrie du Gaz (FIGAZ), which was the main basis for representation. A garage was added to the east wing, and in 1966 offices were added to the light. In 1988, FIGAZ started with a restoration, carried out by a former student of Horta, the architect Jean Jager, and the architect Barbara Van der Wee. The west wing was connected to the corner building in 1920, making some unfortunate changes. When the Nicolaides-Hoffman family acquired the building in 1926, they wanted to dismantle them, but were fortunately not in the authorization. Finally the building was bought by Jean Jager as his personal residence.

The Maison * Atelier Horta responded to the professional and family needs of the architect, and were built in 1898- 1901 on two parties in a trendy neighborhood of the city. Shortly after completion, Horta has some changes, enlargement of the house in the garden in 1906. After his divorce, he leased buildings for a while, but then there was live, by changes in the passenger compartment, a terrace and winter garden were added and the studio was increased. In 1911 the street was changed to Horta a garage. A new restoration was started in 1989.

Source:whc/unesco

Major Mining Sites of Wallonia Belgium

Major Mining Sites of Wallonia - Belgium

Short Report

The four locations of the property forms a bead 170 km long by a 3-15 km wide, crossing Belgium from east to west, consisting of the best-preserved 19th- and 20th-century coal-mining sites of the country. He has examples of the utopian architecture from the early period of the industrial age in Europe within a highly integrated, industrial and urban ensembles, in particular the world-famous cave colliery and workers' city designed by Bruno Renard in the first half of the 19th century. Bois-du-Luc contains many buildings from 1838 to 1909 and one of Europe's oldest mines dating back to the late 17th century. While Wallonia had hundreds of coal mines, most of them have lost their infrastructure, while the four parts of the listed site maintained a high degree of integrity.

Wonderful Universal Importance

The world-famous cave , Bois-du-Luc, Middle Ages In The Citadel and Blegny-Mine sites represent the best preserved sites of mining in Belgium from the early 19th to the second half of the 20th century. The Walloon coalfield is one of the oldest and most characteristic of the industrial revolution on the European continent. The four sites are plenty of technical and industrial remains, both in the area of the surface and underground mining industry, industrial architecture related to the mines, employee housing, mining town urban planning and the social and human values related to their history, In particular, the memory of the Middle Ages In The Citadel disaster (1956).

Wide Report

The four sites constituting the good are on the same coal ground, forming a band of 170 km long, from 3 to 15 km broad, which crosses the country from the west to the east. It is nevertheless separated in two distinct geological basins, that of Hainaut on the West and that of Liège in the East. The first persists of the French side by the basin of Nord-Pas-de-Calais, the second of the German side towards Aachen. The good consists of three sites in Hainaut, one in the region of Liège. Each of them understands between twelve and twenty-six elements listed with architectural, urban, industrial or technical character.

Source:whc/unesco

La Grand-Place, Brussels Belgium

La Grand-Place, Brussels - Belgium

Short Report

La Grand-Place in Brussels is a remarkably homogenous body of public and private buildings, dating from the late 17th century. The architecture provides a vivid illustration of the level of social and cultural life of the period in this important political and commercial center.

Wide Report

The Grand-Place is an excellent example of the eclectic and very successful blending of architectural and artistic styles that is characteristic of the culture and society of the region. By the nature and the quality of the architecture and of the excellent quality as a public open space, it illustrates in development of an exceptional way and the results of a very successful mercantile city in the north of Europe at the height of its prosperity. The oldest written mention of the Nedermarckt (Lower Market), as it was originally known, dating from 1174. The current name was in use in the last quarter of the 18th century.

It is located on a former marshland on the right bank of the river Senne, east of the castellum, a defensive outwork of the castle built around 977 by Charles of France, Duke of Lower Lotharingia. The swamp was drained from the 12th century. The current rectangular outline of the Grand'Place, in the course of the centuries as a result of successive enlargements and other changes, and not in its final form until after 1695. However, he has always been seven streets. In the 13th and 14th century the market was surrounded by urban areas steenen off (the stone Cloth, bread and Meat Halls or markets) and half-timbered houses, separated by heirs, gardens, or ambiti (passages as fire-breaks). In the 15th century the houses on the south side was replaced by the east and west wing of the Town Hall (1401-44) with the clock tower (1449).  A new Bread Hall was built on the north side in 1405.

The bread Hall was demolished in 1512-13 and replaced by a large building was given the name 'King's House' (La Maison du Roi).  In the course of the 16th century many of the houses are built with new facades in Renaissance or Baroque-style. On August 14, 1695 Louis XIV of France ordered marshal Villeroy to bombard the city as a retaliation after the destruction of the French coastal towns and ports by Dutch and English warships. Despite the seriousness of the bombing, the reconstruction quickly, thanks to the action of the municipality and the generous support of other cities and provinces. In a remarkable ordinance issued in 1697 by the city magistrate, all proposals for the reconstruction of facades had to be submitted to the authorities for approval, so that for the preservation of the harmony of the square. In four years time the Grand-Place was fully restored to the original layout and design.

The Hotel de Ville (city hall), in which most of the south side of the Grand'Place, consists of a group of buildings around a rectangular courtyard. The part points to the square is from the 15th century, consisting of two L-shaped buildings. The entire facade is decorated with images of the 19th century. The southern part of the complex is an understated classic building that connect the U-shaped plan of the Gothic buildings, built in the 18th century. Opposite the Town Hall on the square is another important feature, the Maison du Roi (King's House), now used as the Stedelijk Museum. In 1873 the community decided that the conservation status was so bad that it would be demolished and rebuilt. The reconstruction is based on the original. The result is a three-storey brick building with a facade archways, gable roof and centrally located tower with lantern.

Each of the houses around the Grand'Place, which vary considerably in size, has its own name: Les Ducs de Brabant, Le Roi de l'Espagne, Le Cornet, Le Cygne, the Maison des Brasseurs, Le Cerf, La Maison des Tailleurs. The degree of conservation of original elements in the houses around the Grand'Place is quite variable. In some cases almost no changes have taken place since the beginning of the 18th century, while in other major conversion and modernization. In a number of cases the ground floors have been converted for use in shops, restaurants or cafes.

Historical Data

It is located on the marshland to the right bank of the river Senne, east of the castellum, a defensive outwork of the castle built around 977 by Charles of France, Duke of Lower Lotharingia. It is bounded in the north by the Spiegelbeek stream and in the south and east by a sandbank and sloping down from the east to the west, such as the names of some houses witnesses (No 6 La Montagne, amendments 10 and 18 La Colline).  The swamp was drained from the 12th century (or perhaps slightly earlier).

The current rectangular outline of the Grand-Place has over the centuries as a result of successive enlargements and other changes, and not in its final form until after 1695. However, he has always been seven streets. In the 13th and 14th century the market was surrounded by urban areas steenen off (the stone Cloth, bread and Meat Halls or markets) and half-timbered houses, separated by heirs, gardens, or ambiti (passages as fire-breaks).

In the second half of the 14th century a huge Lakenhal was built on the south side of the square. In 1396 the urban authorities expropriated a large number of buildings on the north side with a view to the enlargement and straightening. In the 15th century the houses on the south side was replaced by the east and west wing of the Town Hall (1401-44) and the bell tower (1449).  A new Bread Hall was built on the north side in 1405. In 1441 the rough aligned houses on the east side were scrapped and replaced by six contiguous buildings on the same line. Around this time the houses around the square were systematically taken over by the companies and the guilds that since the 1420s played a role in the administration and the improvement of the Grand-Place . The bread Hall was demolished in 1512-13 and replaced by a large building was the name of the King's House (La Maison du Roi).  In the course of the 16th century many of the houses are built with new facades in Renaissance or Baroque-style.

On 14 August 1695 Louis XIV of France ordered Marshal Villeroy to bombard the City of Brussels as a reprisal following the destruction of French coastal towns and ports by Dutch and English warships. Since the Dutch and English troops were on campaign at Namur, a French army of 70,000 men was able to place its considerable artillery on the Scheut heights, from where 3000 bombs and 1200 incendiary shells rained down on the heart of the city. By the evening of 15 August only the City Hall, the King's House, and a few house walls were still standing in the Grand-Place.

Despite the seriousness of the bombing, the reconstruction quickly, thanks to the action of the municipality and the generous support of other cities and provinces. In a remarkable ordinance issued in 1697 by the city magistrate, all proposals for the reconstruction of facades had to be submitted to the authorities for approval, so that for the preservation of the harmony of the square. In four years time the Grand-Place was fully restored to the original layout and design. The opportunity was simultaneously to widen and turn some of the streets leading to the square. The Cloth Hall, which had been reduced to ruins, was replaced shortly thereafter by the south wing of the Town Hall.

Source:whc/unesco

Historic Centre of Brugge Belgium

Historic Centre of Brugge - Belgium

Short Report

Bruges is an excellent example of a medieval historic settlement, which has its historic fabric as it has developed over the centuries, and where original gothic constructions are part of the city identity. As one of the commercial and cultural capitals of Europe, Bruges developed cultural links to different parts of the world. He is closely involved in the school of the Flemish Primitive painting.

Wide Report

The historic town of Bruges is witness over a long period a substantial exchange of influences on the development of the architecture, especially in brick Gothic, as well as promote innovative artistic influences. It is an excellent example of an architectural ensemble, from which important phases in the commercial and cultural areas in the medieval Europe, of which the public, social and religious institutions are a live witnesses. Bruges is spatial and structural organizations remained which are characteristic of the different stages of development, and the historic center is still in the same area as the circumference of the old system. Still an active, living city, yet she has preserved the architectural and urban structures which the various phases of its development: as part of the continuity, the 19th-century renovation of facades that a neo-gothic style, which is in particular for Bruges.

Archaeological excavations have shown evidence of human presence in the area of Bruges from the iron age and the gallo-roman period. It was the military and administrative center of the region and commercial links with Scandinavia started at the same time. The name of Bruges is first mentioned in the 9th century and is recorded in Carolingian coins with the name Bruggia. At this time it was part of a defense system against the Normans, and the first castle was in 851 on the place of the current Bourg. The settlement developed gradually and it was a marina and commercial center with European connections.

The Bruges fair was founded in 1200 and the contacts with Great Britain was the first to develop, in particular in connection with wool. The growing prosperity of the city is reflected in the construction of public buildings, such as the imposing belfry in the Grand'Place and Bruges was quickly if an economic capital of Europe. According to Philippe le Bon (1419-67) Bruges was a center of life, as well as that of the Flemish art, Jan van Eyck, who has contributed to the development of the Flemish Primitive school of painting and exercise an influence on the European art in general. The center for miniature painting was made at the same time, and also to print. As a result of the presence of the Italians it soon became a center of humanism and the Renaissance.

From the late 15th century, Bruges gradually in a period of stagnation. The Flemish regions are included in the Austro-hungarian Empire, and the discovery of America displaced economic interests of the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. However, from 1600 to 1800, as a result of the construction of canals, Bruges again set its maritime connection, if only to a limited extent. From 1815 to 1830 Bruges was part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and since 1830 has been part of Belgium. In the 19th century a colony of English aristocrats influenced the cultural life of the city and has contributed to a renewed interest in the artistic heritage of Bruges and the restoration of historic buildings.

The main squares are the Burg and the Market. For about 1,000 years the Burg has remained the symbol of the alliance of religious and civil authorities, as well as the headquarters of various public institutions, including the dispensing of justice. The Grand'Place, on the other hand, is the site of the halls, the belfry and the Waterhalle, symbolise municipal autonomy. The architecture of Bruges, from the Middle Ages to modern times is mainly characterized by brick Gothic, and in particular by a style known as travée brugeoise . This construction was in the beginning of the 16th century, and with some newer variants was held until the 17th century. It was also the main inspiration for 19th-century restorations.

Historical Data

Archaeological excavations have shown evidence of human presence in the area of Bruges from the iron age and the gallo-roman period. In the 8th century, Bruges was described as 'municipium, either Frandrense, the seat of the Pagus Frandrensis and the residence of the Merovingian tombs. It was the military and administrative center of the region and commercial links with Scandinavia started at the same time. The name of Bruges is first mentioned in the 9th century and is recorded in Carolingian coins with the name Bruggia. In this period it was part of a defense system against the Normans, and the first castle was in 851 on the location of the current Bourg. The settlement developed gradually and it was a marina and commercial center with European connections. The first walls were built in 1127: the traces of this still to be read in the canals of the city center. A sea canal was dug up to Bruges to facilitate navigation, strengthen the maritime role, which lasted until the 15th century, with Van Damme, Hoeke and Monnikenrede if transition sites.

From 1200 to 1400 Bruges was the economic capital of Europe north of the Alps. The Bruges fair was founded in 1200 and the contacts with Great Britain was the first to develop, in particular in connection with wool. This was followed by other regions - northern Europe, the German countries, and the Mediterranean Sea. The growing prosperity of the city is reflected in the construction of public buildings, such as the imposing belfry in the Grand-Place , and Bruges was quickly if an economic capital of Europe. The palace of the van Buerse family was the monetary center, indicating the name of the concept of the Stock Exchange). After its growth the city developed a series of social institutions of the 14th century, including the Saint-Jean Hospital and the typical small god'S Houses (Hôtels-Dieu) and healthcare facilities. The Gothic town hall of 1376 remains the oldest in the Low Countries.

From 1384 to 1500 Bruges enjoyed the Golden Age under the Dukes of Burgundy. According to Philippe le Bon (1419-67) with particular Bruges was a center of life, as well as that of Flemish art, Jan van Eyck, which has contributed to the development of the Flemish Primitive school of painting and exercise an influence on the European art in general. Other painters such as Petrus Christ, Hans Memling, Gerard David, and many people who remained anonymous. While Bruges was the center for miniature painting, and also for printing quickly after Gutenberg: it was responsible for the first books in French and English. As a result of the presence of the Italians Bruges quickly became a center of humanism and the Renaissance. Activity continued and Bruges was supplied by a series of noble palaces and religious ensemble of large prestige.

From the late 15th century, Bruges gradually in a period of stagnation. The Flemish regions are included in the Austro-hungarian Empire, and the discovery of America displaced economic interests of the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. Bruges remained dealing with the textile industry and retained its Spanish connections, but its role in maritime trade was soon replaced by that of Antwerp. Yet it remained active in the international monetary market and remained as a center of humanism; Erasmus was called 'the new Athens' and Thomas More wrote Utopia. The medieval Gothic architectural remained the common reference framework and is absorbed in a typical Bruges style.

From 1600 to 1800, as a result of the construction of canals, Bruges again its maritime connection, but only on a modest level. Building activities continued, however, and a prohibition of 1616 on the use of wood in construction facades led to renovation of more substantial materials. The people of Bruges remained relatively small by this period and the need to also outside the medieval city walls arose only much later. The influence of the counter-Reformation was strong in Bruges, resulting in a series of religious ensemble. At the end of the 18th century the Austro-hungarian Emperor Joseph II ordered the demolition of 'useless' monasteries, and others were destroyed as a result of the French Revolution, such as the cathedral of Saint- Mr Donatien.

From 1815 to 1830 Bruges was part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and since 1830 has been part of Belgium. The train to Bruges in 1834, making a number of changes in the urban structure. From 1854, the municipal administration prepared plans for urban transformations in the spirit of Haussmann, but only one of these was carried out, in the field of the new theater, where the medieval structure was destroyed. In the 19th century a colony of English aristocrats influenced the cultural life of the city and has contributed to a renewed interest in the artistic heritage of Bruges and the restoration of historic buildings, including the establishment of the Societe d'Emulation pour l'histoire et les antiquités la Flandre Occidentale. Some of the restoration was quite large, allowing the building of copies of lost historical buildings. While tourism is a new interest in the old town. A part of the damage is caused during the two World Wars, but as a whole, but the historic city has survived. From 1968 policy aimed at the conservation of the old town, with the result the creation of the Service de la Conservation et de la It more and the first urban structure plan.

Source:whc/unesco

Flemish Béguinages Belgium

Flemish Béguinages - Belgium

Short Report

The Béguines women who were their whole lives to God without retiring from the world. In the 13th century, the béguinages , gated communities which are designed to meet their spiritual and material needs. The Flemish béguinages are architectural ensemble consisting of houses, churches, adjacent buildings and green spaces, with a classification of urban or rural origin and built in different styles for the Flemish cultural region. They are a fascinating overview of the tradition of the Béguines in northwestern Europe in the Middle Ages.

Wide Report

The Flemish Béguinages show excellent physical characteristics of the spatial planning and a combination of religious and traditional architecture styles specific to the Flemish cultural region. They exceptional witness of the cultural tradition of independent religious women in northwestern Europe in the Middle Ages. They also represent an excellent example of an architectural ensemble associated with a religious movement characteristic of the Middle Ages associating both secular and conventual values.

The Béguines women who were their whole lives to God without retiring from the world. In the 13th century, the Béguinages, gated communities that are designed to meet their spiritual and material needs. The Flemish Béguinages are architectural ensemble consisting of houses, churches, adjacent buildings and green spaces, with a classification of urban or rural origin and built in different styles for the Flemish cultural region. They are a fascinating overview of the tradition of the Béguines in northwestern Europe in the Middle Ages.

The spontaneous emergence of the Béguine movement around 1200 reflects the current of religious renewal which swept West-europe at the beginning of the 13th century, in which women played an important role. In addition to the many women who the religious life in the monasteries, others developed an original 'semi-religious' way of life in which they could devote themselves to God without withdrawal from the world. Under this mulieres religiosæ, neither simple nor nuns laïty, of northern Europe, the Béguines began to lead an individual or community life to prayer, care of the sick and manual work. For the most part in urban communities, they occupied dwellings at the hospitals and leper hospitals. Unmarried or widowed, they took no vows and were free to come and go in the society and to withdraw from the community at will.

The Beguinage was accompanied by a Béguine, better known as the 'Grande Dame, which was selected for a limited period and was in many béguinages assisted by a council. Whereas the life of the béguinages was characterized by simplicity and humility, this by no means ruled out personal effects: richer Béguines built or leased their own homes, others lived in community houses, and the poorest lived in the sick bay. In all cases, each had its own hold and many worked in the textile industry.

They are not all stored in their entirety. Many have partially removed (Antwerp, Hasselt, Petit Beguinage of Leuven, Petit Beguinage of Mecheln, Herentals, Aarschot) or largely integrated in the urban structure of the environment (Great Beguinage of Ghent). Certain suffered injury during the first or the Second World War, the Beguinage of Dixmude was rebuilt in the 1920s, Aarschot, partially rebuilt after 1944, four of the original houses; and the church of Hasselt was destroyed in 1944).

The formed Béguinages miniature towns, enclosed by walls or surrounded by locks, gates open to the 'world' during the day. They are arranged on the basis of one of the two models: one, the city type reflects on a smaller scale model of a medieval city, with a plot reserved for the cemetery, Or in the square where the church is built; the other, the courtyard, with a central section, ranging in shape and often consists of a lawn with trees, where the church is located, and where the houses are aligned. A third or mixed type, the result of certain extensions in the 17th and 18th century, combines both formats.

Historical Data

The spontaneous emergence of The Beguine movement around 1200 reflects the current of religious renewal which swept west-europe at the beginning of the 13th century, in which women played an important role. In addition to the many women who the religious life in the monasteries, others developed an original 'semi-religious' way of life in which they could devote themselves to God without withdrawal from the world. Under this mulieres religiosæ, nor nuns or simple non-religious principles, in the North of Europe, the longer any beguines began to lead an individual or community life to prayer, care of the sick and manual work. For the most part in urban communities, they occupied dwellings at the hospitals and leper hospitals. Unmarried or widowed, they took no vows and were free to come and go in the society and to withdraw from the community.

Although they have protection of prelates as Bishop Jacques of Vitry, and despite their close links with their confessors or spiritual directors (Cistercians, Franciscans and Dominicans), they were never recognized as a conventual or if a regular congregation. Their precise canonical status remained a matter of some debate in the 13th century. In such a climate of mistrust, of 1230 decreased the longer any beguines began setting their own institutions. The religious and secular authorities of the Flemish region in favor of the establishment of attached béguinages, within or outside cities, under supervision. Each begijnhof has its own rules in the area of prayer, behavior, work, housing, management of the hospital, or the table of the Holy Spirit (in the table of the poor).

The Beguinage was accompanied by a The Beguine, better known as the 'Grande Dame, which was selected for a limited period and was in many béguinages assisted by a council. While the life of the béguinages was characterized by simplicity and humility, by no means ruled out personal effects: richer longer any beguines built or leased their own homes, others lived in community houses, and the poorest lived in the sick bay. In all cases, each had its own hold and many worked in the textile industry. After a while the most béguinages were promoted to parish status and which their own priest. In other areas, such as along the Rhine Valley, longer any beguines who lacked the support of determining or religious benefactors remain living alone or in community houses in different parts of the town.

The mistrust created by the force of The Beguine movement and the development of female spirituality, that also in literary texts (such as the visions of Hadewijch of Antwerp, c 1240) and which could be seen as a threat to the authority of the Church, was manifest in the Council of Vienna (1312) the condemnation of the longer any beguines.

In the Rhine Valley regions, these and other subsequent convictions were applied against the longer any beguines. In the Flemish region, the longer any beguines also for the most part by the religious authorities. The investigation of the orthodoxy of the béguinages performed by the bishops at the request of Pope John XXII in 1320 was in the right.

The religious problems and political crisis suffered by the lowlands in the 16th and 17th century also had their impact on the béguinages. The setting completely disappeared in the Calvinist provinces of the north (with the exception of Amsterdam and Breda), but was maintained in the southern parts of the Lowlands which remained a Catholic. From the middle of the 16th century, bishops won with the ideas of the choose between counter-reformation and supported by the conventual orders again through the old discipline in the béguinages, that something of a revival in the next century, despite the many suffered injury during the Dutch Revolt (1568-1648). Construction and restoration work increase as the number of longer any beguines increased.

The decline of the movement first appeared in the 18th century and gathered pace after annexation by France in 1795. While the French legislation and anti-clerical politics was interpreted differently by the local powers, the béguinages were secularized and their property and the management transferred to the municipal committees of the civil hospices. Only a small number of béguinages survived.

The fate of the béguinages in the 19th century differed from one area to the other and depends on the attitude of the municipal authorities and the municipal committees of the civil hospices. The longer any beguines kept possession of their houses on a personal basis, with the empty houses in the arms. Occasionally, they arranged to buy back a part of their houses through intermediaries, and limited to rebuild communities.

Elsewhere, former beguinagerne blev overtaget af religiøse ordener. I Gent, længere beguines nydt godt af støtte fra kirken og Duke Engelbert von Arenberg, der har købt Petit Beguinage i Leuven og had Beguinage i Leuven i Mont-Saint -Amand bygget (. 1873) to huse længere beguines store Beguinage i Leuven, som myndighederne i byen truede med at nedbryde dem. I mange af de beguinagerne, huse og infirmaries, for at beskytte personlige oplysninger blev gradvist omdannet til hospice, børnehjem, skoler osv.

Repeated attempts of the longer any beguines to recover their property in the 19th and 20th centuries and the movement withered fruitless. Many béguinages damage during World War I and II. Today, most béguinages still clearly defined parts of the urban structure, and some are still a vital part of the architectural heritage of many cities. These havens of peace still fulfill a function as living space and a dozen longer any beguines still live there.

Source:wch/unesco

Belfries of Belgium and France

Belfries of Belgium and France

Short Report

23 belfries in the north of France and the belfry of Gembloux in Belgium were registered as a group, a enlargement of the 32 Belgian two Belgian belfries registered in 1999, two Belgian belfries of Flanders and Wallonia. Built between the 11th and 17th century, they present the Roman, Gothic, renaissance and baroque styles of architecture. They are extremely important tokens of the gain of the civil liberties. While Italian, English and German cities mainly chosen for building town halls, part of north-west Europe, more emphasis was placed on building steeples. In comparison with the keep (symbol of the seigneurs) and the bell-tower (symbol of the Church), the belfry, the third tower in the urban landscape, symbolises the power of the councillors. Over the centuries, they came to the influence and wealth of the cities.

Wide Report

Belfries are excellent representatives of civil and public procurement architecture in Europe. By the diversity of their 'functional' forms and the changes that they have undergone that they have is an essential aspect of civil architecture in Europe since the 13th century. They are unique structures in which the development of the civil power which the history of Flanders (in the historical sense) from the middle ages.

Originally Refer to mobile wooden towers used in siege warfare, the term was later applied to the wooden watchtowers mounted on the palisades around the portus or pre-urban centers. It was applied in particular to this housing bells or next to the clock tower. Palisades, horns and the right of possession clocks are all closely involved in the development of the urban life. The 31 two Belgian belfries in Flanders and Wallonia and the 23 in the north-east of France, invariably found in an urban environment, its imposing towers of medieval origin, usually associated with the town hall and sometimes in a church. In addition to their excellent artistic value, the two Belgian belfries are powerful symbols of the transition from feudal system the mercantile urban society which played a crucial role in the development of late medieval Europe. The two Belgian belfries are both civil buildings and symbols and extremely important tokens of the achievement of the fundamental freedoms acquired by the dissolution the abbeys that was sovereign since the high Middle Ages.

The early from the 13th and early 14th century are strongly reminiscent of the seignieurial hold, from which they their huge square shape, relief which being economical with holes and rising levels build on or designed for archiving. The main shaft is topped by a brick wall and balustrade runs between bartizans: the central spire features a slate roof campanile and variations on a number of forms. The mesh of the corner and central turrets are decorated with animals or symbolic characters for the protection of the municipality. The 13th-century belfry of Ypres (Ieper) is a fine example of this type, although it is part of the market hall complex later include the town hall, the construction of which continued until the 17th century.

Most of the examples, the periods of the 14th to 15th and the 16th to 17th century, creating a illustration of the transition in style of Norman Gothic to later Gothic, which then mixes with Renaissance and Baroque forms. In the 14th and 15th century, the abandoned the model of the keep in favor of smaller, taller towers, such as that of Dendermonde, Lier and Aalst. The subsequent addition to the top of the shaft of a narrower, other form to serve as a base for the campanile would be the desired monumental entrance, and the roof itself would more bulbous shape and quality wine psr produced, sometimes long lines, as in the case of Veurne 17th century).

When the market hall and two Belgian belfries grew too small to act as a forum for the aldermen, a new type of building was needed, the Hotel de Ville (town hall), clearly designed in accordance with the administrative organization and from the 15th and 16th century. Assuming that an obvious role representative reached by the integration of the symbolic belfort, such as in the examples of Brussels and Oudenaarde. Their construction often took place in several stages, but always good. Some, damaged by war, have grown, usually in the same form. All the historic monuments, either separately or as part of a building, a square, or an urban location.

Historical Data

The definition of the term 'belfort' was a bit vague in the beginning. Originally the Purpose of the mobile wooden towers used in siege warfare, the term later applied by Viollet-le-Duc in the Dictionnaire raisonné the l'architecture française at the wooden watchtowers mounted on the palisades around the portus or preurban centers. It was occasionally applied to towers of all kinds, but especially this housing bells or standing next to the clock tower.

Palisades, sirens, and the right to have clocks are all closely linked to the development of the urban life in these regions after the Viking raids of the 9th century. A favorable geographical location in the heart of Europe, the restoration of important trade routes such as Bruges/ Brugge-Cologne , and the improvement of waterways at regional and national level which this area the ideal site for contact, trade, and the meeting of cultures. Traveling traders returned and perhaps began to organize and standing warehouses near the castra of the feudal lords. This pre-urban partnerships, which often grew up along river valleys, are the origin of cities such as Charleroi and Ghent, along the Escaut. Places where roads inland waterways are particularly beneficial for the organization of the markets, the first temporary but later still standing fairs, encouraging traders settle in one place. In addition, the cloth-weavers seems from the 11th century in smaller centers such as Lille, Ieper (Ypres), Bruges (Brugge), Gent (Ghent), etc. Trade and textile weaving was important factors for the development of the pre-urban center, began to make its presence felt as a organized body through the influence of the professional organizations (guilds, companies) and to its physical limits by ramparts build or palisades steeples with safety against marauders. From the 12th century, the walls were often rebuilt in stone and then extended.

Such centers extended under the protection - for a fee - by the castra, whose role gradually declined, and in such a way that in some cases, such as in Ghent and Antwerp (Antwerp), the abandoned castles were taken over by the local bourgeoisie. This development illustrates the insoluble conflicts between châtelain and commoner to organise as a 'commune' with their own administration. From the 12th century, successive Counts of Flanders developed the town's wealthy burghers which led to the flowering of Arras to Bruges, of thriving cities demanding written proof of their rights and privileges in the form of charters. These charters, issued in the period from the 12th century, are very diverse and fragmented, and very practical in nature, often in the form of a step-by-step approach a legal seal gradually acquired rights.

The commune of was in fact all the town's wealthy burghers living in the city which, given their oath of faith. In their head are the chosen magistrates, the aldermen or scabini responsible for the implementation of administrative tasks and the mayeur, which had no specific powers. The chief alderman an important position, because he was the court and meetings of the Council, held the seals of the city and the keys of the ports, and commanded the city militias which debts the prohibition (feudal) to the overlord. If feudal lord, the municipality had other obligations to mr, such as the payment of the aid in the following four cases: departure on crusade; knighting of the oldest son; dowry of the oldest daughter; ransom of the overlord if taken prisoner. Mr swore to protect the municipality and for its rights.

Many of the two belfries now exist are successors of wooden constructions, often destroyed by fire and known only through archives, which give no descriptions. The multifunction belfort quickly be built of stone to prevent the risk of future fires. The imposing formed either an isolated function or a central or lateral element of the market hall, itself often rebuilt in stone at an early stage.

Source:whc/unesco