Oldehove

The Oldehove has stood here since 1529 and is even more crooked than the Tower of Pisa! You can admire it from the inside and out. The elevator installed in 2011 takes you to the first floor; from there, you will have to conquer the spiral staircase to the roof.

From May 23, the tower is open again and it is a party at the Oldehove, even though it is covered in scaffolding. 
The tower will be closed for the winter season from Sunday, October 25, 2026, and will reopen in March 2027.
(Unfortunately, getting married in the tower is not possible in 2026) 

The flagship of Leeuwarden is the Oldehove. Construction of this leaning, crooked, and unfinished tower began in 1529. The intention was for a new church to rise next to the Oldehove to replace the old St. Vitus Church, but this never came to fruition. Master builder Jacob van Aaken was unlucky, as the tower began to lean during construction. 
An attempt was made to continue masonry perpendicular to the sloping foundation, but unfortunately, this did not yield the desired result. Construction was halted in 1533 and never resumed. The tower was intended to reach over 120 meters.

The tower has never had a special function, yet it has become one of the most important symbols of the city of Leeuwarden. The 'leaning tower' that the people of Leeuwarden are proud of and about which they say, jokingly or otherwise: "A'k de Oldehove niet sien ken, dan foël ik my onwennich" ("If I cannot see the Oldehove, I feel uneasy"). 

The Oldehove:
- has a height of over 39 meters, with superstructure 48 meters;
- is 1,99 meters out of plumb;
- 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 (to the first floor);
- has a front door that is 72,5 cm higher than the former 'back door';
- was allowed to welcome over 28.200 visitors in 2017, a record at the time;
- saw an explosive increase in visitor numbers in 2018 to over 65.000(!);
- has approximately 25 Tower Watchmen;
- is a popular wedding venue;
- is open daily between April and the end of October;
- has been managed by the Historical Center Leeuwarden since 2010.

www.oldehove.eu check here for current information.

The Oldehove is open – except on public holidays – from mid-March through (the last weekend of) October, Mon-Sun, 13:00 PM to 17:00 PM. Annually, the tower is closed from October to April.