Picture above: nice facades on the Market Square of Hulst
 

A refuge house or refugium is actually some kind of safe house.  In the Middle Ages, abbeys and other religious institutions owned large swathes of land in Flanders.  This was no different here in Zeeuws Vlaanderen; they were very intensively involved in the reclaiming of land on the sea and the cultivation of wasteland.  They were very rich and they had a lot of influence on the local economy and government.  Their lands however were often located in very remote places.  In order to safeguard their interests, they built refuge houses in towns.  In case of danger they could find shelter in these places.  Either an existing building was bought and adapter or a completely new structure was erected.  These refuge houses were not the most modest buildings in the town.  In Hulst there were several of these refuges of which three still remain.

The refugium of Baudeloo was owned by Fransiscan nuns.  From this complex a nice house with a very typical slender little tower remains.  Nowadays it is used as a music school.  The refugium of Ter Duinen, one of the most powerful abbeys in Flanders, was located in one of the most monumental houses of the town.  It appears that is was built where the 'Steen' (the stone house, which refers to the local prison) used to be.  This building also has a nice slender little tower (best viewed from the garden).  At present it houses the museum 'de Vier Ambachten' (which refers to the governmental unit of Hulst and 3 other communities).  In that same street was located the safe house of the monks of Cambron.  In this house there now is a shop.  

Adresses:
- refugium of Baudeloo: crossroads Baudeloo and Refugium
- refugium of Ter Duinen: Steenstraat 37
- refugium of Cambron: Steenstraat 14

Picture 1: The refuge of Baudeloo
Picture 2: The refuge of Ter Duinen