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A Hidden Gem No More: Bethlehem PA A World Heritage Site
July 2nd, 2025 | In The News
Written by Jessica James
The historic Moravian District in Bethlehem was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list in 2024
When I first visited Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, I went for the Christmas charm—twinkling lights, holiday markets and horse-drawn carriages. But what really stayed with me was the history. This little town has layers, and now the world knows it too.
As of 2024, Bethlehem’s Historic Moravian District has been officially named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, putting it on the same list as world treasures like the Great Wall and Machu Picchu. Pretty amazing for a small town in the Lehigh Valley, right?
But believe me, once you walk the streets and step inside the 18th-century buildings, it makes total sense.
Keep reading and I’ll show you why.
Don’t have time to read the whole post? Bethlehem’s Moravian Church Settlements became the 26th UNESCO World Heritage Site within the United States. This site spans more than 10 acres and includes eight original properties, four ruins, and God’s Acre cemetery.
What Is A UNESCO World Heritage Site?
World Heritage sites recognized by UNESCO represent cultural or natural locations of “Outstanding Universal Value.”
How Many UNESCO World Heritage Sites Are There?
There are more than 1,121 sites across 167 countries. There are 26 in the United States, and now three in Pennsylvania: Independence Hall, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and Bethlehem.
Bethlehem’s World Heritage Site History
Bethlehem was founded in 1741 by Moravian settlers, a religious group from what’s now the Czech Republic. They came with a vision—to build a communal, faith-based society focused on equality, education, music, and craftsmanship.
What’s truly unique is how well the structures they built and their vision have stood the test of time. The UNESCO designation includes:
- 8 original structures
- 4 historic ruins
- 1 cemetery (God’s Acre—serene, symmetrical, and deeply symbolic)
Visiting Bethlehem’s World Heritage Site
Bethlehem’s World Heritage Site isn’t about plaques and foundations. You can tour many of the buildings and truly feel what life was like 250 years ago (and earlier). The 1741 Gemeinhaus (community house) is the oldest building in town and once served as a place of worship, school, and living quarters.
Today, it’s part of the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem, and I highly recommend starting your visit there.
Docents lead guests through the museum and explain the remarkable stories behind Bethlehem’s founders while highlighting the early Moravians’ community life, medicinal practices, missionary work, relationships with local Indigenous Peoples and progressive-for-the-time educational system.
(Tickets: $12/adults; $6 children: 3 and under free).
From there, you can explore:
- The Single Sisters’ House – One of the oldest buildings in the country dedicated to women’s communal living
- The Bell House and Old Chapel – Still echoing with music and spiritual heritage
- Waterworks and Springhouse ruins – Evidence of early industry and self-sufficiency
- God’s Acre Cemetery – A fascinating reflection of the Moravians’ belief in equality in death (everyone has the same flat stone)
God’s Acre Cemetery
Covering about 3.17 acres, God’s Acre has served as the Moravian cemetery from 1742 until it filled up in 1912.
More than just a historic site, it embodies the Moravian value of equality in death: every grave is marked by a uniform, flat marker—no headstones, no hierarchy—reflecting the belief that everyone is equal before God .
The cemetery’s earliest recorded burial was that of Johannes Müller in June 1742. Also buried there are Moravian settlers, Lenape converts, converted Africans, even non-Moravian visitors laid in the special “Stranger’s Row.”
Walking through God’s Acre today is like entering a peaceful woodland park, with benches under canopy trees—perfect for reflection. The layout is strikingly simple: graves organized by Moravian “choirs” (gender, age, and marital status), with men and women in separate rows.
Early Industrial Park in Bethlehem
It’s not often that you find a place where so many original 18th-century buildings still stand in one walkable area—and even rarer to find a town where those buildings are still in use, still telling stories.
By 1747, 35 crafts, trades and industries were established in Bethlehem, including a butchery, tawery, clockmaker, tinsmith, nailor, pewterer, hatter, spinning, weaving, cooper, dye house, community bakery, candlemaker, linen bleachery, fulling mill, saddlery, tailor, cobbler, flax processing, wheelwright, carpenter, mason.
As the community developed and needed greater output, they replaced the log buildings with larger limestone buildings. The pottery, tannery, butchery, dye house, smith complex, oil mill, and waterworks were built of stone in the period from the late 1740s through the early 1770s.
Moravians Places of Worship
An amazing and unique aspect of Bethlehem’s World Heritage Site is that you can walk through and tour all three of the Moravian Settlement’s worship places.
Each site offers guided tours or open visitation hours, and they’re all within easy walking distance in the heart of the Historic Moravian District—letting you trace nearly 300 years of spiritual heritage in one meaningful visit.
1. The Gemeinhaus (1741) – The Original Gathering Place
Stepping into the Gemeinhaus is like walking into the very founders’ living room. Built in 1741, this log-and-clapboard building served as both community home and chapel. The Saal (meeting hall) on the upper floor hosted everything from daily worship to weddings and the first funeral in Bethlehem—a bustling hub of early Moravian life
It also housed Pennsylvania’s first medical office, making it a kind of proto-hospital . Today, the Gemeinhaus is the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem, where you can tour original rooms, see instruments and furniture, and feel the heartbeat of 18th‑century life.
2. The Old Chapel (1751–1806) – Elegant Simplicity and Historic Guests
As the congregation grew, they outgrew the Gemeinhaus and built the Old Chapel in 1751—still standing in the Historic Moravian District. The chapel echoed with hymns and featured prominently in Revolutionary-era history: George and Martha Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and others worshipped here.
It’s still used for worship, weddings, and memorials and other special services.
3. Central Moravian Church Sanctuary (1803–1806) – A Grand New Era
By the early 1800s, the congregation needed something bigger, so from 1803–1806, they built the new Sanctuary where Central Moravian Church still worships today.
The architecture is more formal, with high ceilings, but no stained-glass windows.
If you’re there on a Sunday, you can attend the modern service in a setting with more than 200 years of legacy.
Amazing History Up Close
Bethlehem Heritage Site Tours
- Birthplace of Industry Tour
- Old Bethlehem Walking Tour
- Death and Dying Cemetery Tour
- Historic Pubs Tour
- Mystery and History
- Rise and Fall of Bethlehem Steel
Pro Tip: The Moravian Museum of Bethlehem and Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts are free the first Sunday of the month February through November.
Two Downtowns, One Vibrant City
Here’s something I didn’t know until I arrived: Bethlehem actually has two distinct downtowns.
- The historic Moravian district, where the UNESCO sites are located, feels peaceful with a small-town vibe. (It was voted No. 1 Best Main Street by USA Today’s 10BEST Readers Choice Awards).
- The SouthSide, built up during the industrial age of Bethlehem Steel, has a totally different vibe—more modern, artsy and edgy.
In between, you’ll find Main Street, which bridges the past and present beautifully. There’s boutique shopping, locally owned restaurants, and one of my favorite finds—a bookstore that claims to be the oldest in the United States, the Moravian Book Shop.
You can spend your morning touring 1740s stone buildings, then grab lunch at a trendy café or catch live music in the evening. It’s a seamless mix of old and new.
Why You Should Visit Bethlehem
Bethlehem has always been a hidden gem—but now it’s on the map in a big way. The UNESCO World Heritage designation makes it part of a global conversation about what we value and preserve.
If you’re a history lover, especially one fascinated by early American culture, religious communities, or architectural preservation, this is a town you need to experience.
And if you’re more of a casual traveler who just likes walkable towns with cool shops, coffee, and charm? You’ll still love it here.
Quick Travel Tips:
📍 Where to Start: Begin at the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem for orientation and context.
🏛️ UNESCO Tour: Look for the 8 designated structures and pick up a walking tour map.
🛍️ Where to Shop: The Moravian Book Shop (the oldest continuously operating book shop in the world); Seasons Olive Oil & Vinegar Taproom, and cute boutiques along Main Street.
🍴 Where to Eat: Try Apollo Grill, Tapas on Main, or The Mint Gastropub in South Bethlehem.
🛌 Where to Stay: I highly recommend the Historic Hotel Bethlehem—it’s right in the heart of it all and full of character.
Check prices and book your room now at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem.
Special Events and Festivals in Bethlehem
- Rooms to View House & Garden Tour (June)
- 38th Annual Blueberry Festival (July)
- Apple Days (September)
- Turkey Trot 5K Run and Walk (November)
- Holiday Dinner an Auction (December)
Whether you’re planning for America’s 250th anniversary or just want to take a meaningful trip to explore history in Pennsylvania, Bethlehem should be at the top of your list.
(And if you don’t mind the cold, it makes a perfect Christmas getaway).
Now you know that little-known towns can have world-class stories—and sometimes even, a world heritage title to match.
Read the article on Past Lane Travel’s website.
