Betlehemkerk, Church building in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Betlehemkerk is a brick church on Zwanenplein in Amsterdam-Noord, built in the Amsterdam School style with a tall pointed roof covered in tiles. The exterior mixes stone and brick with decorative wave-like details, while inside a high curved ceiling and stained glass windows by H. J. Winkelman create soft colored light.

The church was built in the early 1920s and opened in 1924 with Queen Wilhelmina attending the ceremony. It served as a Protestant place of worship for decades, but the congregation shrank and the building was sold in the 1990s, later becoming a music studio in 2017.

The stained glass windows show Bible scenes such as the annunciation to the shepherds and the visit of the wise men, made by glass artist J. W. Winkelman. These colorful panels still give visitors a sense of the stories that once guided the local Protestant congregation.

The building sits in a neighborhood with shops and older streets, making it easy to spot while walking around the area. Since it is now a recording studio, you should check whether the doors are open before trying to go inside.

The building has not been used for worship since the 1990s, and the space that once held rows of pews now houses recording equipment for musicians. Queen Wilhelmina left a souvenir of her visit: a special Bible given to the church at its opening ceremony.