Rottum (Groningen)

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Rottum (or Röppen) is a small village on an artificial dwelling hill between Kantens and Usquert in the municipality of Eemsmond, falling under the province Groningen in the Netherlands. The village currently counts about 165 inhabitants.

1 History
2 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Heathen chapel

The village was founded on a spur of the Hondsrug (a ridge of sand). Since high tides were threatening the early inhabitants they heightened the spur with manure and waste: this way an artificial dwelling hill was created. On top of the artificial dwelling hill eventually a heathen chapel was located. According to legend this chapel was founded in the year 433 AD. A red fire was always visible in the surroundings. This probably explains the name "Rottum", which could be derived from "rot Heim", which can be translated as "red dwelling-place".

[edit] Monastery

St. Juliana's Abbey was a Benedictine monastery, probably founded between 1195 and 1210 by monks from the Benedictine Werden Abbey in Germany. The monastery was demolished at the end of 1800.

Rottumeroog or Rottum, an island in the Waddenzee, is named after the village since the monastery was two-thirds owner of the island. Near the village the nunnery named Bethlehem was located.

[edit] Protestant church

In 1889 a Protestant church was built on the same location as the monastery.

The poet Jan Boer was born in Rottum. In 1999 the sculptor Greet Grottendieck was asked to make a bust of Jan Boer to celebrate the 100th anniversary of his day of birth.