Martinitoren
Church building in Groningen, Netherlands / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Martinitoren (Dutch pronunciation: [mɑrˈtinitoːrə(n)]; Martini or St. Martin's Tower) is the tallest church steeple in the city of Groningen, Netherlands, and the bell tower of the Martinikerk.[2][3]
Martinitoren | |
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Location | |
Location | Groningen, Netherlands |
Geographic coordinates | 53.21921°N 6.5680°E / 53.21921; 6.5680 |
Architecture | |
Type | Church tower |
Style | Gothic |
Groundbreaking | 1469 |
Completed | 1482 |
Height (max) | 96.8 m (317.59 ft)[1] |
The tower is located at the north-eastern corner of the Grote Markt (Main Market Square). It contains a brick spiral staircase consisting of 260 steps, and the carillon within the tower contains 62 bells. The tower is one of the main tourist attractions of Groningen and offers a view over the city and surrounding area. The front of the tower shows three pictures above the entrance: the blind poet Bernlef [nl], Saint Martinus and Rudolf Agricola. All three men are linked to the history of Groningen. The tower is tilting about 0.6 m.[4] According to reports[citation needed], the tower has a foundation of only three metres deep. The citizens of Groningen call their tower d'Olle Grieze, meaning the old grey one in the local dialect.