Terps, churches and the Vrijhof give Ferwerd a clear cultural and historical focus. In Ferwert, these include a medieval sanctuary, a church entrance and a war memorial; near Foswerd, the remains of a Benedictine monastery add to the picture. Depending on your interests, you can focus on architectural history, remembrance or the landscape formed by the terps. Local details offer several different perspectives on the history of the village.

Monastery history and terps

Near Foswerd are the remains of a Benedictine monastery founded around 1100. The walking route “Ferwert - Foswert - Marrum - Westernijtsjerk | Rondjes om de kerken” passes the former monastery site at Foswert and crosses Ferwert’s oldest terp. It is 10.9 km long, providing a walking option with a specific distance. Route details may change; check them before setting out. A terp is an artificially raised area used as a settlement site; here, the term links the landscape form with the history of the village.

Herjuwsmastate and Gemme van Burmania

Herjuwsmastate, built in the 15th century, stood on one of Ferwert’s terps. A bronze statue of the nobleman Gemme van Burmania stands along the former drive to Herjuwsmastate. The former estate on the terp and the statue by the old entrance can thus be viewed as distinct examples of the village’s history.

An architectural detail from 1792

During a renovation in 1792, a church in Ferwert was given two Neoclassical portals with Ionic pilasters. Pilasters are flat, pillar-like elements on a wall; the Ionic style gives the portals their classical design.

Vrijhof and Sint-Martinuskerk

In the Middle Ages, the Vrijhof was a sanctuary where ecclesiastical justice was administered and markets and gatherings were held. From the Vrijhof, a 17th-century gate provides access to the Sint-Martinuskerk. The war memorial “As it nedich is” stands on the Vrijhof; it commemorates the resistance of the local population from 1940 to 1945. The village centre of Ferwert is also protected. This protection complements the individual buildings and the memorial by drawing attention to the village as a whole. The Vrijhof thus brings together medieval functions as a public square and remembrance from a much later period.

Explore Ferwert on foot

The section through Ferwert on the “Mini fiets- en wandelvakantie Friesland - Etappe 2” route is best experienced on foot. This is a different perspective from the “Rondjes om de kerken” walk, which is 10.9 km long overall: one detail describes how to experience the section in Ferwert, while the other gives the length of an entire walking route. Keep these different scales in mind when comparing the routes.

Discover more destinations: Jannum, Hogebeintum, Reitsum, Blija, Burdaard, Marrum

Go to the main travel overview: Ferwerderadiel.