Sint Hippolytus Church
The church was built around 1500, and probably enlarged later. The tower dates from 1744 and was built thanks to a contribution from Ayzo van Boelens and his first wife Rinske Lycklama a Nijeholt. A memorial stone above the entrance is the tangible proof of this.
About this building
Olterterp is located east of Beetsterzwaag. The Saint Hippolytus Church is found at the edge of the forest, on the other side of the road and diagonally opposite restaurant Het Witte Huis. The church was built around 1500 in yellow and red brick of large size. The church is illuminated by narrow pointed arch windows with stained-glass. The east wall has a stepped gable, where the steps of donkey backs are provided. The western façade also has a stepped gable on both sides of the tower. The church was restored in 1912-193 in a bold, romantic way on behalf of Mrs. B.W.T. Sandberg van Boelens. The church had functioned more or less since the eighteenth century as a private chapel of this family, who had one outside. The tower was added to the church in 1744. Ayzo van Boelens and Rinske Lycklama a Nijeholt paid 500 guilders for this. A memorial stone above the entrance recalls this. The tower has been owned by the municipality of Opsterland since French times. The church has been owned by the Alde Fryske Tsjerken Foundation since 1996 and has recently been used mainly as a concert hall and exhibition space, but is also very popular as a romantic wedding location in the middle of the woods.
