The ‘begijnhof’ was abolished in 1795 some 198 'begijnen' lived there. The Groot Begijnhof has the appearance of a small town in the city. It is a succession of streets, squares, gardens and parks, with tens of houses and convents in traditional brick and sandstone style. This small town was restored between 1964 and 1989 by the University of Leuven, who had purchased the site in 1962 from the Social Welfare Commission. Today it houses students and university staff. The old infirmary and the Chievres Convent house the Faculty Club, the meeting place for science, culture and enterprise. On 31 March 2000, it was officially recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The 'Groot Begijnhof' is open to the public.