Bethlehem kliniek, Medical clinic in The Hague, Netherlands
The Bethlehem Kliniek sits at Prinsessegracht 8 and displays functional design typical of early 20th century Dutch architecture. The building now connects to the adjacent Ministry of Finance through a former mansion on Casuariestraat.
This facility opened in 1923 as a Catholic maternity clinic and operated until 1965. It then became part of the Ministry of Finance complex.
The clinic embodied changes in Dutch healthcare, when religious organizations actively provided medical services to city residents. It shows how church-based institutions managed hospitals and clinics to serve populations that otherwise had limited access to care.
The building is visible from the street and accessible by foot, though it sits on a government site with limited public access. It is best viewed from the exterior, especially when walking along Prinsessegracht.
During World War II, the building sustained damage from the German invasion in 1940 and later bombardment in 1945. These wartime events left marks on the structure that still reflect its complicated past.
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