Bedum: Leaning Tower in the Groningen Countryside
The tower of the Walfriduskerk in Bedum leans noticeably. Built on the unstable clay of the Groningen terpen landscape, the church gradually tilted over the centuries. It is one of several leaning towers in the province, though less famous than that of Winsum. About 7,765 residents live in Bedum, a village roughly 12 kilometres north of Groningen city, now part of the gemeente Het Hogeland since the 2019 merger.
Terpen, artificial dwelling mounds built to stay above flood levels, dot the flat landscape around Bedum. The village itself likely originated on such a mound. Agriculture remains the primary land use: grain, sugar beet, and seed potatoes occupy the heavy clay soils. The Groningen gas field has affected the area, with earthquake damage leading to reinforcement programmes and political tension. The Groningen-Eemshaven rail line stops at Bedum station.
Reinforcement of homes damaged by gas extraction earthquakes has become a defining issue for Bedum and the wider region. The Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM) and the national government face ongoing claims from affected residents.
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The tower of the Walfriduskerk in Bedum leans noticeably. Built on the unstable clay of the Groningen terpen landscape, the church gradually tilted over the centuries. It is one of several leaning towers in the province, though less famous than that of Winsum. About 7,765 residents live in Bedum, a village roughly 12 kilometres north of Groningen city, now part of the gemeente Het Hogeland since the 2019 merger.
Terpen, artificial dwelling mounds built to stay above flood levels, dot the flat landscape around Bedum. The village itself likely originated on such a mound. Agriculture remains the primary land use: grain, sugar beet, and seed potatoes occupy the heavy clay soils. The Groningen gas field has affected the area, with earthquake damage leading to reinforcement programmes and political tension. The Groningen-Eemshaven rail line stops at Bedum station.
Reinforcement of homes damaged by gas extraction earthquakes has become a defining issue for Bedum and the wider region. The Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM) and the national government face ongoing claims from affected residents.
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