- Suurhusen
Infobox German Location
name = Suurhusen
name_local =
image_coa = Wappen Suurhusen.png
regbzk =
district = East Frisia
population = 1200
population_as_of = 2005-01-01
population_ref =
area =
elevation =
lat_deg = 53 | lat_min = 24 | lat_hem = N
lon_deg = 7 | lon_min = 13 | lon_hem = E
postal_code =
area_code =
licence =
mayor =Suurhusen, north of
Emden inEast Frisia and in former times also called Zuiderhusen (Süderhusen) was named in part, probably due to close proximity toOsterhusen andWesterhusen . Suurhusen is mentioned in documents from 1255. A stone with the year 1004 and ceramic objects found in the old church tower point to the fact that the village is much older. Suurhusen currently has about 1200 inhabitants and is administered by the municipality ofHinte .Objects of interest
The church in Suurhusen is reminiscent of the old fortress churches. Originally, the church was 32 metres long and 9.35 metres wide. The church tilts at an angle of 5.19 degrees compared to just 3.97 degrees for the
Pisa tower . In 1450 the church was shortened by about a quarter and the tower was built in the space. This tower is considered today to be the most leaning tower in the world and is known as the Leaning Tower of Suurhusen. [cite web|url=http://www.haz.de/newsroom/weltimspiegel/zentral/weltimspiegel/art699,154147|title=HAZ.de ]According to local historian
Tjabbo van Lessen , the church was built in marshy land in 1450 on foundations of oak tree trunks which were preserved by the water in the ground. 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, but re-opened 10 years later after being made safe.In the village centre is a small museum in which the life of an agricultural worker's family is illustrated.
Persons
*
Gerhard Dietrich , Philosopher, Historian and Genealogist.References
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
