Martinitoren
| Martinitoren | |
|---|---|
Church tower | |
| Style | Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 1469 |
| Completed | 1482 |
| Height (max) | 96.8 m (317.59 ft)[1] |
The Martinitoren (Dutch pronunciation:
The tower is located at the north-eastern corner of the Grote Markt (Main Market Square). It contains a brick spiral staircase consisting of 260 steps, and the
Rudolf Agricola. All three men are linked to the history of Groningen. The tower is tilting about 0.6 m.[4] According to reports[citation needed
], the tower has a foundation of only three metres deep. The citizens of Groningen call their tower d'Olle Grieze, meaning the old grey one in the local dialect.
History
Twice before a tower has stood on the site of the current Martinitoren. The first was built in the 13th century; this was approximately 30 metres high and built in the
Romanesque style. This tower was destroyed by lightning. In the 15th century a second tower was built, approximately 45 metres high, but it also was devastated by lightning in a storm. The third and current tower was largely built between 1469 and 1482 from blocks of Bentheimer sandstone. The steeple was not finished until the mid-16th century. This tower was initially an estimated 102 metres high.[5] Its architecture was influenced by the Dom Tower of Utrecht
.
The lighting of celebratory fires on the third gallery, after the departure of Spanish and
Canadian Forces liberated Groningen at the end of World War II
.
-
The view from the Martinitoren -
Martinitoren in 1945 -
Martinitoren in 2010 -
Martinitoren by night -
Thebellsin the Martinitoren
See also
References
- ^ (in Dutch) Description of building on the official website of the church
- ^ "martinikerk.nl".
- ^ "De Martinitoren in Groningen". Archived from the original on 2010-10-27. Retrieved 2010-03-31.
- ^ "zoeken - nrc.nl". nrc.nl. Archived from the original on 2012-03-04. Retrieved 2011-01-20.
- ^ E. O. van der Werff, Martini. Kerk en toren. Assen, 2003, p. 53; F. Westra, Martinitoren. Groningen, 2009, p. 29. According to an improbable myth, the tower would have been 127 m high
External links
Dutch Rijksmonument 18553
Media related to Martinitoren at Wikimedia Commons
