The
tower from the Martinichurch in
Groningen,
Netherlands.
The
tower was finished in 1482. With its height of 127 meters it was by far the largest building in
Groningen and
Ommelanden. It was built by the people of
Groningen and
Ommelanden to worship God, and to represent the wealth of the city.
In 1577 a most of the tower was destroyed by a large fire, caused by the bonfires that were lit on the tower after the retreat of the Walloonian forces.
Only 69 meters remained of the building. Restoring the tower took many years and was finally finished in 1627. From that moment on the tower had a height of 'only' 96.80 meters.
Nowadays the tower is still a tourist attraction. People visit the tower and climb it till the third gallery.
The higher parts of the tower are closed to the public, except on holidays like Queensday and Bommen Berend.