Niehove

Although in former days the sea came much further inland, this did not affect any of the brave Groningen inhabitants. On the contrary; they simply started throwing up hills to establish safe and dry places to live. By doing so, they managed to reclaim dozens of pieces of land from the water. But the humble power of the Groningen artificial dwelling hill villages is most strongly felt in Niehove.

Who could imagine that this small village used to be the capital of Humsterland? With is narrow church paths and red-brick houses, the village looks just like it did centuries ago. Naturally, you’ll find the church in the middle of the village, at the top of the dwelling hill. When viewed from above, Niehove resembles a spider’s web. Around the church are two circles of houses, their backs turned to the pastures. From the church, narrow church paths lead to the lower ring road. The best way to explore this village is by walking this network of streets.

The Romanesque-Gothic church in the village centre dates from the 13th century. Until the 16th century, this was the only building in the village made from stone. It wasn’t until much later that benches were installed in the church. Until then, churchgoers had to stand: the men on the southern side and the women on the northern. The building’s current function is that of a visitor centre where information about the village and Humsterland can be obtained. For a very long time, a circular moat separated the Niehove churchyard from the street. This construction was to ensure that the spirits would remain in the churchyard and wouldn’t come to haunt the village and its inhabitants.