The hidden church of Begijnhof has been a sacred place in the heart of Amsterdam since 1150, when a group of religious women came together to form a community tending to the sick. As the story goes, a miracle happened in 1345 during a fire in Kalverstraat, and when the Roman religion was forbidden in the city, all the paintings and stained glass that portray this miracle were moved to the 'hidden church'. The Begijnhof continues to be a religious retreat, and all visitors are reminded to respect the silence of this sanctuary.