About 3 hectares (7.4 acres) in size, with some 300 apartments in almost 100 houses, it is one of the largest remaining beguinages in the Low Countries.

One of the priests of this beguinage was Adriaan Florensz Boeyens, spiritual tutor of the infant Charles V and later known as Pope Adrian VI.

The sudden increase in entries, followed by a long period of gradual decline, explains the homogeneity in the architectural style of the houses, most of which were constructed in the years 1630–1670.

The same demographic evolution can be seen in other beguinages, such as in the nearby town of Diest, or - with some delay - in Lier (where the houses are on the average half a century younger than in Leuven).

After the invasion of the French revolutionaries, the beguinage of Leuven was not sold as bien national, as happened with most monasteries and abbeys.

Beguines were allowed to continue to live in their houses but free rooms were rented to elderly and poor people.

After more than 150 years in use by the local welfare commission and being inhabited by people not financially able to maintain the dwellings, the place was in deplorable state in 1960.

A real estate developer showed interest but abandoned his plans when he learnt that the university wanted to buy and restore the beguinage.

This small town was restored between 1964 and 1989 by the Catholic University of Leuven, which had purchased the site in 1962 from the Social Welfare Commission.

The large scale restoration project of an entire quarter, and according to the principles of the Venice Charter was an important momentum in the popularity of beguinages and traditional architecture in general.

The house of Chièvres was built in 1561, in accordance with the will of Maria van Hamal, widow of William de Croÿ, duke of Aarschot and advisor in political affairs of Emperor Charles V. The characteristic tented roof with the onion-shaped top, refers to the two towers of the duke's castle in Heverlee (today known as Arenberg Castle).

A typical element in the beguinage of Leuven are the numerous dormers, often elaborated with crow-stepped gables and round arched windows.

The arcades separating nave from aisles carry statues of the twelve apostles, Mary and Saint Joseph with the holy child.