Church in Hinte-Suurhusen
World Record! The most leaning tower of the world is not the Pisa one, but one located at Suurhusen! It's obvious for anyone coming closer to the town via the bypass road. The tower of Pisa inclined by 3,97 degrees, whereas the inclination of this tower it 5,07 degrees. That is why its 27 m top rises 2,34 meters above the foundation wall on the western side. This information is based on the latest calculations in Suurhusen and shall be included in the Guinness World Records Book 2008.
The nave too is inclined to the other side. In former times it had an apse which was later replaced by a straight eastern wall. The northern wall was rebuilt, too. Only intensive restoration and protection prevented the collapse of the church (which was built in the first half of the 13th century) and of the late Gothic tower which was added to the nave in 1450, while the nave itself was shortened by a quarter. The windows and doors of the nave were changed in a fundamental manner, whereas the tower is still in its original state with its three-storey construction, the pointed arch and basket-handle arch blinds and basket-handle arch portal on the northern side, where you'll find an old coat of arms in its rectangular frame.On the interior, there is a flat ceiling with cove, a rounded transition from the wall to the ceiling.
The décor is very simple. The baptism font is from the Romanesque period (13th century) and was made of sandstone from Baumberg, according to mineralogical research. Like the baptism fonts of the Bentheim type it is situated on a plinth with lions (see church at Stapelmoor). Between friezes with tendrils and leaves, a plaited band wraps around the font. The largely damaged sarcophagus lid in the tower is dated to the same period. On the pulpit, an inscription reminds of the All Saints Day flood of 1570. You can read the flood marks made of sandstone on the exterior side at the north-western corner of the tower to guess how high the water was around the church.
Address
Ev.-luth. Pfarramt
Am Suurhuser Tief 7
Hinte-Suurhusen
Tel 0 49 25 / 12 28
Fax 0 49 25 / 99 02 92
E-Mail
pastor@kirche-suurhusen.de
Internet
www.kirche-suurhusen.de
