The Province of Groningen
The leaning tower of the Walfriduskerk (St Walfridus Church), from Plantsoen, in the town of Bedum, 10 kilometres north of Groningen. Saint Walfridus was a Groningen saint, killed by the Normans around 1000 CE and buried here. It became a place of pilgrimage, a wooden chapel was erected and in 1050 a church was built; in the 12th century the Roman church was extended, including the tower, that developed a distinct lean. Various reconstructions have taken place since then, but the tower remains. The tower leans forward, more than any other tower in the country. It is argued that the tower leans more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa. During a restoration in 1953-1958 an underground counter-weight was installed and the lozenge roof replaced a flat roof that had covered the tower ever since a fire destroyed the spire in 1911.
Photo by Ludo Kuipers, Sun Dec 02, 2018