Maria Church
The Maria church of Foudgum is on the remains of a mound. Only a few parts of the tower remain of the original medieval Romanesque church. The current church building dates from 1808. The church is known for its predecessor Francois Haverschmidt (pseudonym Piet Paaltjens).
About this building
Along the road between Dokkum and Holwerd lies the beautiful village of Foudgum. The church was last restored in the first half of 2015. In particular, the interior was renewed. The church is a simple one-aisled building: four window tunnels deep with a three-sided choir closure and an unedged, saddle-roofed covered with black glazed tiles. The nave was rebuilt in 1808 in one construction campaign. The upward wall work of the nave is articulated on both sides of the entrances and on the corners of the choir fence by lisenen on a plinth. The southern entrance was closed after 1808. The nave of the church is covered by a gable roof with three-sided closure, which is covered with black glazed flat Frisian pans. On the broker above the choir is a wind vane with the coat of arms of Foudgum. At the end of the 15th and in the first half of the 16th century the church was significantly rebuilt: the eastern gable of the tower was then erected and in the north and the south façade of the tower, the traces of the renovation can be found as a fragmented masonry bond. The western façade was completely rebuilt. This explains the many anchors on the west side of the tower. The renovation is dated by anchors in the top gable, which form the year 1753. In the tower are two boulders from the foundations on the corners of the westwork. The weights hanging above it belong to the pendulum clock from 1640 that was electrified in 1978. Two loud bells are hanging on the tower attic. The big clock dates back to 1395.
