Leaning Tower of Suurhusen
| Suurhusen Church | |
|---|---|
 Side view of the Suurhusen Church | |
| Basic information | |
| Location | Suurhusen, Germany |
| Affiliation | Evangelical Reformed Church |
| District | Aurich |
| Year consecrated | 14th century |
| Website | www.kirche-suurhusen.de |
| Architectural description | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Gothic (Brick Gothic) |
| Completed | 1450 (tower) |
| Specifications | |
| Height (max) | 27.37 metres (89.8 ft) |
| Materials | Brick |
The Leaning Tower of Suurhusen (German: Schiefer Turm von Suurhusen) is a late medieval steeple in Suurhusen, a village in the East Frisian region of northwestern Germany. According to the Guinness World Records it was the most tilted tower in the world, though in 2010 the newly erected Capital Gate tower in Abu Dhabi claimed this record. The Suurhusen steeple remains the world's most leaning tower that is unintentionally tilted, beating the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa by 1.22 degrees.[1][2]
History
The Brick Gothic church in Suurhusen is reminiscent of the old fortress churches. Originally, it was 32 metres long and 9.35 metres wide. In 1450 the church was shortened by about a quarter and the tower was built in the space. This tower currently leans at an angle of 5.1939 degrees – compared with 3.97 degrees for the Pisa tower after its stabilization.
According to local historian Tjabbo van Lessen, the church was built in the Middle Ages in marshy land on foundations of oak tree trunks which were preserved by groundwater. When the land was drained in the 19th century the wood rotted, causing the tower to tilt. The steeple was closed to the public in 1975 for safety reasons, and re-opened 10 years later after it too was stabilized.
Data
- Area: 121 square metres (1,300 sq ft), 11 m × 11 m (36 ft × 36 ft)
- Height: 27.37 metres (89.8 ft)
- Overhang: 2.47 metres (8.1 ft)
- Foundation: 2-metre-thick (6.6 ft) masonry, resting on oak piles
- Total weight: 2,116 t (2,332 short tons)
Gallery
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Side view -
Side view -
Entrance to tower -
View from the east -
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Rear view with cemetery
See also
References
- ↑ The Raw Story: German steeple beats Leaning Tower of Pisa into Guinness book {Broken link}
- ↑ Süddeutsche Zeitung: Weltrekord in Ostfriesland. Der schiefste Turm der Welt (German)
External links
Media related to Leaning Tower of Suurhusen at Wikimedia Commons
Coordinates: 53°24′48″N 7°13′24″E / 53.41347°N 7.22333°E