The Beguines were women who dedicated their lives to God without retiring from the world. In the 13th century they founded the beguinages , enclosed communities designed to meet their spiritual and material needs. The Flemish beguinages are architectural ensembles composed of houses, churches, ancillary buildings and green spaces, with a layout of either urban or rural origin and built in styles specific to the Flemish cultural region. They are a fascinating reminder of the tradition of the Beguines that developed in north-western Europe in the Middle Ages.