Explore Religious Heritage Across Europe

Remnant of a three-aisled cruciform church completed in 1499. Restored after a fire in 1632, in which the crossing tower collapsed, which was replaced by a new one against the west facade. After the second fire in 1799, only the nave was restored and by demolishing the arches and pillars it was combined into one space. Restoration completed in 1807; tower restored in 1817. Of the Gothic choir only the north facade with part of the closure remains. On the north side of the nave a hard stone portal with pediment, in which coat of arms and attachment, crowned by ornamental vases in Louis XVI style. 1794. Next to this portal in the church wall a stone with Gothic inscription, which shows that the church was completed in 1409. Mechanical tower clock, B. Eijsbouts, 1912, has been decommissioned.

The Mariakerk in Mantgum was built around 1500 to replace an earlier basilica from the 12th or 13th century. It is listed as a National monument of the Netherlands.

The Van Dam company built an organ for the Reformed Church in Buitenpost in 1877. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Viola di Gamba 8' from the Bovenwerk was placed on the Hoofdwerk under the name Cello 8' instead of the Quintprestant 3'. A new Aeoline 8' was placed on the Bovenwerk. The organ was restored in 1973/1974 by Fama & Raadgever, under the advice of Bas Wijnands. The Viola di Gamba was put back, and a new Quintprestant was made. The originally attached pedal was replaced by a free pedal with four voices. The Van Dam pedal from Anjum served as a model for this pedal. On Friday 25 January 1974, the organ was put back into use with a performance by Arnold Feddema and Mr. A. Sterk.

The Van Oeckelen organ in the Protestant church, donated in 1871 by Mr. SP Baron Van Heemstra, resident of the Heemstra State, was restored by Bakker & Timmenga and put back into use on Sunday 13 March 2005. This church is listed as a National Monument of the Netherlands.

The Reformed Church consists of the late Gothic choir of the otherwise demolished medieval parish church. Five-sided closed, brick building with an octagonal, wooden dome tower on the west facade. Restored 1931. The inventory includes: a pulpit with baptismal fence and pews, 17th century; two fronts of pews with arch panels, 17th century; a copper crown, a copper lectern and candle arm, all 17th or 18th century. Bell tower with bell by H. van Trier, 1581, diam. 55.5 cm.

The Dutch Reformed Church is a brick, late Gothic cruciform church, the nave of which was brought to the same height as the mid-15th century choir around 1500. Attached sacristy with rose window from around 1500. Interior: the choir separated from the nave by a narrow triumphal arch on wall columns. Oak pulpit with arched panels. XVII A. Tower probably from the first half of the 15th century, half built into the nave around 1500. The flat tower with high entrance niche, consisting of an entrance with a basket-handle arch and two pointed arch niches above it, merges into an octagon. Octagonal staircase tower. On the south side traces of a vaulted baptismal chapel. Single-manual organ, probably made by L. de Backer around 1760. Placed in Gapinge in 1903.

The restored village church consists of a Romanesque, tuff stone nave, the windows of which are set within round-arched niches and a higher, late Gothic choir with three-sided closure. The church has wooden barrel vaults. The inventory includes: an oak pulpit, first half 17th century on a Gothic base, probably originating from a baptismal font; a chandelier, first half 17th century; nine wrought iron light arms 18th century; two text boards in carved frames, first half 17th century and several tombstones, 17th and 18th century.

Neo-Gothic church, situated on a hill and therefore visible from far. Replaced an earlier church. Expansion, including a tower, 1910 after a design by J. van Gils.

Dutch Reformed Church. The building consists of the probably late 15th century choir of the medieval parish church with five-sided closure. On the north side a transept chapel, first half 14th century. On the south side probably a disposition according to the "Haagse hallesysteem", of which only the eastern part is still present, 15th century. The south wall of the western part of this layout has been preserved as a ruin. On the west side an extension from 1728 with polygonal closure. Wooden bell tower with dome-shaped crowning, built after demolition of the medieval tower, 1829. The building was restored around 1965. The inventory includes: a pulpit, 17th century; a lord's pew, around 1700; three copper crowns, 17th century. Furthermore a copper lectern, 17th century and a fragment of a hard stone, Gothic baptismal font. Tombstone, 1616 and 10 later tombstones. In the tower a bell by Pieter Waghevens, 1518. Against the west side of the church a burial vault of the Fabricius van Heukelum family. Single manual organ, built in 1779 by Gideon Thomas Bätz. Restored in 1997 by AH de Graaf. In the wooden bell tower a bell by P. Waghevens, 1518, diam. 72.8 cm. Mechanical tower clock B. Eijsbouts, Asten, 1938, no. 1246, later fitted with electric winding.

Historic church with tower. The Mariakerk was built around 1140 and was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The church was part of the oldest monastery in Drenthe, the Benedictine Abbey of Ruinen. Because Ruinen became too busy, the monastery was moved to De Wijk on the Dickninge estate in 1325. After that, the church in Ruinen was used as a parish church. On the southeast side of the church, two bricked-up arches and a round window are visible, on that spot Jan van Ruinen had a chapel built. He was buried there after his death.