The Suurhusen steeple as of 2007[update] claimed to be the unintentionally tilted tower with the greatest angle of lean in the world, 1.22° more than Leaning Tower of Pisa.

In 1450 the church was shortened by about a quarter and the tower was built in the space.

[3] According to local historian Tjabbo van Lessen, the church was built in the Middle Ages in marshy land on foundations of oak tree trunks which were preserved by groundwater.

When the land was drained in the 19th century, the wood rotted, causing the tower to tilt.

The steeple was closed to the public in 1975 for safety reasons, and re-opened 10 years later after it was stabilised.