Maagdenhuis

Maagdenhuis Review

Originally a foundling hospital for children of the poor, the Maagdenhuis (Maidens' House) opened in 1552 and remained in operation until 1882. A boys' orphanage, the Knechtjeshuis, which had opened nearby in 1558, also closed in 1882 when more modern institutions became available. The Maagdenhuis chapel and entrance gateway were constructed from 1564 to 1568; the rest of the building, including the somewhat austere but tranquil court, with its Baroque columns and Virgin Mary statuary, dates from 1634 to 1636. The Maagdenhuis Museum houses a collection of objects from the orphanages, including clothes, workbooks, and needlework. The museum also displays paintings and statuary, as well as a collection of rare 16th-century Antwerp pottery, including a complete set of porridge basins. Although the collection includes one Rubens, the most important paintings were lent to the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in 1890. In addition to the museum, the building now houses some offices of the Public Center for Social Welfare.