History of presbytery and church
Church of 1 million
In the middle of the Vierhuizer Wierde are the church and rectory. The church of Vierhuizen was built in the 12th century AD and modified several times in the following centuries. After the Reformation, the church became Dutch Reformed. The church is now owned by the Stichting Oude Groninger Kerken.
At the end of 2006, the church won the first prize of 1 million euros in the first edition of the AVRO TV program ‘De Restauratie’. With this amount, the church was completely restored in 2007.
Rectory
In 1926, the church council of Vierhuizen decided that the existing presbytery had to be replaced. In 1926/27 the new presbytery was built on the same spot to a design by the regionally known architect Willem Reitsema.
Built in the Groningen variant of the Amsterdam School architectural style, the presbytery has become a characteristic and iconic building. Many authentic features of this architectural style have been preserved or restored during the thorough renovation in 2007 and 2008.
With the transfer of the church to the Old Groninger Churches Foundation, the presbytery lost its function and came into private hands in 1990.
Architectural style Amsterdam School
Willem Reitsema Tzn (1885-1963) left many traces on the Groninger Hoogeland. In 2008, the book ‘Willem Reitsema Tzn, architect on the Hoogeland’ was presented about his work and life during an exhibition at the Verhildersum in Leens. For those interested, this book is available for inspection in the dining room of the presbytery.
There is also the book ‘Petrified Prosperity’ in which a variety of buildings in the Groningen variant of the Amsterdam School architectural style can be found. There are also a number of routes that take you past the various buildings in the province of Groningen.