Places near me Random place
All the Netherlands Amersfoort Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren (The Tower of Our Lady)
AO Edited

Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren (The Tower of Our Lady)

At the base of this tower, a plaque marks the original center point of the Netherlands.

Amersfoort, Netherlands

Added By
jadecrookes
Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren   Zairon/CC BY-SA 4.0
  jadecrookes / Atlas Obscura User
  jadecrookes / Atlas Obscura User
From afar   jadecrookes / Atlas Obscura User
Middle-point of the Dutch grid system   I, Ceinturion/CC BY-SA 3.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

One can't help but marvel at the tower of Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren (The Tower of Our Lady). Standing at a staggering 98.33 meters (322 feet), it looms high above Amersfoort. Indeed, you may see it sometimes peeking above buildings as you take a walk around the city. 

Completed in approximately 1470, the tower wasn't always alone. As you walk through Lieve Vrouwekerkhof, you may see where the foundations of the original church once stood, marked into the square. (The church that belonged to the tower was destroyed in the 18th century after a gunpowder explosion.) 

At the base of the tower, you can find the original middle point of the Dutch grid reference, the coordinate system used by the country's geographical service. This grid system was originally set up between 1885 and 1904, but an update in the mid-20th century adjusted the zero point to a new location southwest of the Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren.

Related Tags

Churches Towers Landmarks Geographic Markers

Community Contributors

Added By

jadecrookes

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy

Published

January 10, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos

Nearby Places

Explore the Destination Guide

Related Places

  • Birkenhead Priory

    Birkenhead, England

    Birkenhead Priory

    The oldest standing building on Merseyside is special for its rich history as a Benedictine monastery and its unique connection to the origins of the Mersey Ferry.

  • St. Anne’s with two of its four clocks visible.

    Cork, Ireland

    The Four-Faced Liar

    On the clock tower at St. Anne's Church in Cork, you never know which face is telling the truth.

  • Palm Beach’s clock tower.

    Palm Beach, Florida

    Worth Avenue Clock Tower

    This 25-foot tall clock tower commemorates the start of one of America's foremost shopping districts and the end of the historic Palm Beach Pier.

  • The former Wyoming National Bank buildings, known locally as “the onion” and “the egg beater.”

    Casper, Wyoming

    The 'M' Building and Tower

    Locally known as the "Onion” and the "Egg Beater,” Casper’s most recognizable buildings are beloved local landmarks to many, and eyesores to others.

  • Bell tower at Church of the Holy Name

    Pune, India

    Church of the Holy Name

    This 19th-century church is famous for its iconic 130-foot tall bell tower with eight bells.

  •

    Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    Allen-Bradley Clock Tower

    This was once the largest four-sided clock in the world (yes, even bigger than Big Ben).

  • An aerial view of Inishtrahull lighthouse on Inishtrahull Island.

    County Donegal, Ireland

    Inishtrahull

    Ireland's most northerly island is hauntingly beautiful. Its lighthouse was the last glimpse of home for many Irish emigrants bound for the U.S.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member

Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member