Oldehove

Due to repair work on the bells' crankshafts, the tower is closed until mid-May 2024 .

The hallmark of Leeuwarden is the Oldehove. Construction of this leaning, crooked and unfinished tower started in 1529. The intention was that a new church would be built next to the Oldehove to replace the old St. Vitus Church, but this never happened. Things were not going well for master builder Jacob van Aaken, because the tower collapsed during construction.

An attempt was made to continue laying bricks perpendicularly on the crooked substructure, but unfortunately this was without the desired result. Construction stopped in 1533 and never resumed. The tower should have been more than 120 meters.

The tower has never had any special functions, yet the tower has become one of the most important symbols of the city of Leeuwarden. The 'skeve' (Frisian for: crooked) tower that the people of Leeuwarden are proud of and about which they say, whether joking or not: "A'k de Oldehove niet siën ken, dan foël ik my onwennich" (Frisian meaning "If I can't see the Oldehove, then I feel awkward").

The Oldehove:
- has a height of over 39 meters, with superstructure 48 meters;
- hangs perpendicularly 1.99 
- has stairs with a total of 183 steps;
- was built between May 28, 1529 and mid-1533;
- had two entrance gates until 1599 (one on the east side and one on the west side)
- had an electric elevator between 1916 and 1954;
- has had a new elevator since 2011 (up to the first floor);
- has a front door that is 72.5 cm higher than the former 'back door';
- welcomed over 28,200 visitors in 2017, a record at the time;
- saw an explosion in visitor numbers in 2018 to more than 65,000(!);
- knows about 25 Tower Guardians;
- is a popular wedding venue;
- is open daily between April and the end of October;
- has been managed by the Historisch Centrum Leeuwarden since 2010.

www.oldehove.eu see this website for current information.

The Oldehove is open - with the exception of public holidays - from April 1 to (last weekend of) October, Mon-Sun, 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The tower is closed between October and April.