“Convent of Saint Mary Magdalene of Bethany”

The oldest map of Amsterdam dates from 1545. On this map you'll find a row of convent buildings on the eastern side of the town, directly behind the city wall, along the Kloveniersburgwal. The buildings form a square around a courtyard which is landscaped like a garden. One of the buildings is called 'Saint Mary Magdalene of Bethany'. Originally the building was destined for women who wanted to pay penance for their licentious lives, but the converted sisters were soon replaced by distinguished ladies. In 1462, the chapter of the court chapel of the Hague gave the Amsterdam convent permission to build its own chapel, which was served by its own rector and chaplain, and had its own churchyard. The fact that the Bethaniënklooster was held in high esteem in Amsterdam, is illustrated by the fact that it was given the task of fattening up the cattle for the meals of the marksmen. The name Koestraat (Cow street) is reminiscent of this. Around 1500, the city council was in need of building land and the Bethaniënklooster was in want of money. The Bethaniënstraat (Bethany Street) and the Koestraat were built on the grounds of the convent. Rental housing was built on the eastern side of the grounds. In 1578, all of the convents were closed down and parceled out.

THE NORTHERN WING

Today, only the northern wing of the Bethaniënklooster along the Barndesteeg remains. Through the years, this building has served many purposes. Around 1970 it housed joinery works, until the building was vacated because it was too dilapidated. The city bought the historically relevant part of what was left of the convent, in anticipation of a restoration initiative. This initiative was led by the Bethaniënklooster foundation, which was established especially for this purpose. The Bethaniënklooster foundation has since merged with the Jan Pietersz. Huis II foundation, which helps to house young musicians.

The building consists of a vaulted basement, two floors which, for the largest part, have been joined into one hall, and a top storey which contains several apartments. The basement, which has retained its 15th-century appearance, was probably built for storage purposes. The refectory was located above it and the dormitory was situated on the second storey. In 1700, the dormitory floor and underlying beams were, for the most part, removed, creating a tall space for a church.