It was meant to be so beautiful: a church tower over 120 meters high in the heart of Leeuwarden. Construction of De Oldehove, the leaning tower of Leeuwarden, began as early as 1529. After just 10 meters, it became apparent that the tower was sinking into the ground on one side. The builder tried to correct the mistake, but by the time the tower reached 40 meters, it was not only leaning but also crooked. De Oldehove was never completed, but it has become a symbol of Leeuwarden.
De Oldehove is an unfinished church tower that began to tilt noticeably during the construction phase in the 15th century. It was supposed to be 100 m high, but after 40 m the architect got cold feet and they finally decided not to finish the church tower. The nave was not even started.
The Oldehove a leaning and unfinished church tower in the medieval centre of the Dutch city Leeuwarden. The height of the tower is 39 metres.
The top of the tower is displaced horizontally 2 metres from the centre. One can climb the tower for €3.50