The tower of Surhuizum is unusual. Not only is it built entirely of stone, it also stands just apart from the church. A Frisian legend explains how this happened.
Once upon a time, a giant travelled through Groningen and Friesland as a cloth merchant. He carried a huge bundle of sailcloth on his back, mainly selling it to skippers.
After a long day in Groningen, the giant stopped to rest at Surhuizum. He leaned against the tower, put his bundle on a large stick and rested it against the tower too.
When he was ready to leave, he lifted the bundle onto his back. “Boom!” The giant had accidentally lifted the tower along with it. He quickly put the tower back down, but because of his enormous hands, he did not place it back exactly.
The tower ended up slightly separated from the church. The gap was later filled, but you can still clearly see that the tower does not stand directly against the church.
Surhuizum lies on the Friesland-Groningen border, between Buitenpost and Surhuisterveen.
