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All the Netherlands Amsterdam Paradiso
AO Edited

Paradiso

Rejoice at Amsterdam's ‘pop temple,’ a former church reborn as a raucous music venue.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Added By
Olga Lisina
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These days, performers rock the space where the pulpit once stood.   Robinpiso, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
These days, performers rock the space where the pulpit once stood.   Robinpiso, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Raise your hands high.   Hay Kranen, CC BY 4.0
Original architectural features were left untouched.   Martin Fisch from Wiesbaden, Germany, CC BY-SA 2.0
In the 1960s, this church became something of a hippie squat.   Erling Mandelmann, CC BY-SA 3.0
This church now boasts a very different kind of flock.   Olga Lisina / Atlas Obscura User
  Ville Miettinen from Helsinki, Finland, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
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Tucked away at the southern end of Amsterdam’s central canal ring, just a stone’s throw from the Rijksmuseum and bustling Leidseplein, this Neo-Gothic building will draw your attention if not by its architecture, then by the size of the queue at the entrance that forms here almost every evening.

Built in the late 19th century as a meeting place for a religious organization known as the Free Congregation, this place radically changed its purpose in the 1960s. First simply squatted by a group of hippie music fans, the building was eventually converted into an official cultural venue, named Cosmic Relaxation Center Paradiso.  

From 1968 on, Paradiso has thrived as a music club, attracting international artists from Pink Floyd to Lana Del Rey, who performed in a unique setting with stained-glass windows, distinctive balconies, and church-like atmosphere. 

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The venue showcases a diverse lineup of artists and musical genres. Check the online schedule for upcoming shows.

Community Contributors

Added By

Olga Lisina

Edited By

Xavixavir

  • Xavixavir

Published

August 28, 2024

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Paradiso
8 Weteringschans
Amsterdam, 1017 SG
Netherlands
52.362162, 4.883802
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Nearby Places

Pijpencabinet (Amsterdam Pipe Museum)

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Netherlands

Places 73
Stories 6

Nearby Places

Pijpencabinet (Amsterdam Pipe Museum)

Amsterdam, Netherlands

miles away

The Little Woodcutter

Amsterdam, Netherlands

miles away

Cuypers Library

Amsterdam, Netherlands

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Netherlands

Places 73
Stories 6

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