't Kattepoortje and Wevershof

These two almshouses catch the eye, but they have a dark past. Ever since the 14th century, an almshouse is a residential area with a social purpose, often around a picturesque courtyard. But in this case, appearances are deceiving. The Kattepoortje and Wevershof saw the light of day as drab 19th-century workers' quarters. Workers who had fled the poverty of the countryside lived there together in miserable conditions. With hardly any privacy and even less hygiene. Bruges had about 50 workers' quarters, mostly hidden behind a gate, with almost 400 dwellings. Of this legacy, only the Kattepoortje and Wevershof remain. Luckily, thanks to its restoration as an almshouse, the people of Bruges now lead a more comfortable life here.