Historic Moravian Bethlehem District
Historic Moravian Bethlehem
A settlement founded by the Moravians in 1741, with well-preserved stone buildings including the communal Gemeinhaus. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2024.
The district is centred on Church Street and preserves the Gemeinhaus (now the Moravian Museum), a communal house dating from 1741, along with the Single Sisters' House, the Single Brothers' House, the bell tower and God's Acre cemetery. Many 18th-century German-style stone buildings survive in the area. In 2024, it was added as part of the transnational World Heritage extension "Moravian Church Settlements." It is recommended to join a guided tour run by Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites (about US$15 to $25), then spend half a day strolling Main Street, stopping at its cafés and bookshops. Walking the district is free. For parking, use the garages on Walnut Street or North Street. During the Christmas season, weekends are very busy, so book your meals in advance.
Opening hours
District open all day; museum about 10:00–16:00, Wed–Sun
Nearby sights
- Central Moravian Church
- Moravian Book Shop
- Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts
- Moravian Sun Inn
- Colonial Industrial Quarter
- Hill to Hill Bridge
- National Museum of Industrial History
- Lehigh University