The Bruiningshofje is a

hofje {{inline refs needed, date=May 2012 A hofje (diminutive of 'hof', 'court') is a Dutch word for a courtyard with almshouses around it. Hofjes have existed since the Middle Ages. A hofje provided housing for elderly people (mostly women). ...

in Haarlem,

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

History

It was founded in 1610 by Jan Bruininck Gerritz (it i s assumed), and is one of four hofjes owned by the

Mennonite Mennonites are groups of Anabaptist Christian church communities of denominations. The name is derived from the founder of the movement, Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland. Through his writings about Reformed Christianity during the Radi ...

church of Haarlem. The others are the

Wijnbergshofje The Wijnbergshofje is a hofje in Haarlem, Netherlands, on the Barrevoetstraat. It was founded in 1662 by the Mennonite Church. It was renovated in 1872 and contains 9 houses for pensioners. This hofje is one of four Mennonite hofjes in Haarlem; ...

in the Barrevoetestraat, the

Zuiderhofje The Zuiderhofje is a hofje in Haarlem, Netherlands. History The hofje was founded in 1640 by Jacques van Damme and his wife Elisabeth Blinckvliedt, and is owned by the Mennonite church of Haarlem. The couple gave an order to Michael Slaghre ...

on the Zuiderstraat, and the Blokshofje on the Klein Heiligland (sold in 1970). The founder was from Sneek, and he probably founded the hofje with his daughters in mind, since he had several of them and family members were given first rights to a place in the hofje. The earliest documents surviving date from after this original donor died. A document survives from 1647 in which a sum of 150 ''Carolus guldens'' is recorded for adding a new house and garden, received from ''Lysbeth van Blenckvliet''. This early donor was also the founder of the

, and explains why the garden is managed by the Zuiderhofje gardener.

Living conditions

We know something about the living conditions in this hofje from the list of women who came to live there, compared to the list of deaths, though only the more prominent names are recorded. These women tended to live longer than the general population. The list of donations in the form of ''s''.Frans Loenenhofje Haarlen (n.d.).
Hofjes verhalen:Preuven
' Retrieved 26 Jan 2019. is also quite long; many opted to give a small amount (5 cents) to the women on their death-day. In 1800 this had grown to free rent for all six women, and during the year the following goods for the hofje: 20 5-cent pieces each week, 20 tons turf, two 20-pound barrels of butter, two sacks of potatoes, and a half-sack of salt. The hofje originally had rooms for six women with a common privy in the garden. It wasn't renovated for running water or gas heat until 1936, when a redesign was executed, resulting in five homes. It was again renovated in 1978, and the number of houses was reduced again from five to four. The hofje was once one of the wealthiest of Haarlem, and is still quite well off today. The rent is free for the four women living there; they only need to pay service costs. Address: Botermarkt 9

References

External links

*Haarlemse Hofjes:Groene oases in Haarlem (2018).
Bruiningshofje
' Retrieved 26 Jan 2019. *Hofjes in Haarlam (2019).
Bruiningshofje
' Retrieved 26 Jan 2019. * Swedish Wikipedia: Hofje in Haarlem {{Hofjes in Haarlem Hofjes 1610 establishments in the Dutch Republic Rijksmonuments in Haarlem

History

Living conditions

References

Further reading

External links