Bethlehem, Augustinian monastery in Gaanderen, Netherlands.
Bethlehem is an Augustinian monastery that once stood north of Gaanderen in the Doetinchem region. The religious community occupied a complex of buildings along the Rekhemseweg, where a farm called Het Klooster now sits.
The monastery was founded between the 12th and 16th centuries and received its first chapel consecration by Bishop Baldwin of Utrecht sometime between 1178 and 1182. This blessing marked the formal establishment of the religious community at this location.
The monastery served as a home where monks lived and worked, structuring their days around prayers and manual labor. Their presence shaped the local identity and remains reflected in neighborhood names that recall monastic life.
The monastery site today shows few physical traces, as the buildings no longer stand. You can explore the area by following the municipal boundary between Doetinchem and Bronckhorst near the Bielheimerbeek stream to get a sense of where it once occupied the landscape.
A handwritten gospel manuscript with decorative miniature paintings from the 13th century was preserved within the monastery, showcasing the artistic skill of the monks who lived there. This work demonstrates how the community engaged in learned and artistic practices during their time.
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