Ghent: The last almshouse

  

We were strolling along Kraanlei when we came upon the House of Alijn. It is located in the historic heart of Ghent, near the Vrijdagmarkt and the Gravensteen. It is the oldest, and only remaining, Almshouse in Ghent. It is now a museum. It was founded in 1363 as a peace offering to resolve a blood feud between the patrician Rijm and Alijn families. It was later a children's hospital

 

 

We entered the passage and emerged into a delightful square with 18 typical Flemish cottages (all interconnected) with different features on the four side, including a chapel.

 

We decided however not to take the guided tour of the interior.

For comparison, here is an almshouse with a very plain exterior from Delft: the Klaeuwshofje. It is on the bank of the Rijn-Schie canal.

We saw seen others in Amsterdam, but this was the first time we were able to see the courtyard garden which is a normal feature.