Paradiso occupies a neo Romanesque church on Weteringschans in Amsterdam, constructed in 1880 for the Vrije Gemeente, a liberal Protestant congregation that left the building in 1965. Two years later, in October 1967, a group of hippie music fans led by Willem de Ridder and several others squatted the empty space. After negotiations with the city, it officially opened on 30 March 1968 under the name Cosmisch Ontspanningscentrum Paradiso, or Cosmic Relaxation Center Paradiso. The building was listed on the Dutch national monuments register on 16 September 1980, which protects it from demolition and restricts structural alterations.
In its early years the venue served as a gathering place for Amsterdam's psychedelic and beat scene, screening films, hosting liquid light shows and speakers, and later adding a weekly jazz night. As the 1970s progressed, punk and new wave took a prominent place in the programming, and through the 1980s the schedule expanded considerably, aiming to attract a diverse audience across seven days a week. Early performances by artists including The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley and Patti Smith helped establish its international reputation. In 1971 the venue founded the Academie Inferno, which offered workshops in subjects such as yoga and weaving.
Today Paradiso operates two stages and hosts around fifteen acts per week, spanning rock, indie, electronic music, jazz and a range of other genres. Its programming arm also runs club nights, theatre performances, film evenings and cultural projects, with Paradiso R&D focusing specifically on supporting emerging organizers and concert series promoters. The venue draws well over 600,000 visitors annually across its various Amsterdam locations and partner venues.
