One in five church buildings in The Netherlands is no longer used for worship.
Dutch newspaper Trouw found that several churches are now converted for secular use such as homes, libraries, offices, and cultural centers. The country has 6,900 churches and 1,400 have been given another use as cultural and social spaces. More churches are expected to be deconsecrated in the future, reports Dutch News.
Trouw said Protestant churches are more likely to be transformed for other use than Catholic ones. “For Roman Catholics the church is sacred, for Pr