Grijpskerk can be understood through several clearly distinct themes: its origins as a dike village, its historic role as a market town, its buildings and places of remembrance, and the landscape at the NAM site.

Dike village, market town and historic transport routes

Grijpskerk developed as a dike village after the Ruigewaard was reclaimed from the Lauwerszee in 1425 by means of a dike. The village’s origins are therefore directly linked to a change in the landscape. At the same time, the old dike through Grijpskerk became part of an important road connecting Leeuwarden and Groningen. The reclamation and the road connection are distinct aspects of the village’s history: one tells the story of the development of the Ruigewaard, the other of the old dike’s role in transport.

Historically, Grijpskerk developed into the Westerkwartier’s most important market town. This role as a market town adds a regional perspective to the history of the dike village. The railway is also part of the area’s historical development: from 1866, Grijpskerk had its own railway station on the Leeuwarden–Groningen line. The road and railway represent different transport links and belong to different chapters in the village’s history.

Buildings and places of remembrance

Grijpskerk’s church dates from the early 17th century and was built on the site of a small chapel that had stood there since the early 16th century. The Zuivelfabriek Grijpskerk was built in 1888–1889 in the eclectic style. “Eclectic” describes a design that combines elements from different styles. The former town hall on Herestraat dates from 1913 and is designed in the Berlagius style. Comparing the buildings places them in their historical context: the church occupies an earlier chapel site, while the factory and former town hall represent other construction periods and styles.

The war memorial commemorates residents of Grijpskerk who were murdered by the occupying forces during the Second World War or lost their lives as a result of the war. It consists of three identical stainless-steel plaques bearing text, a QR code and an image of the torch of 4 and 5 May. The plaques are located in front of the former town hall on Herestraat.

Another memorial site is in the Jewish section of the General Cemetery on Oosterkade, near de Poel. This section was designated for Jewish burials in 1881; a memorial stone to Jewish victims of German terror stands there. The two places of remembrance have different focuses: the memorial commemorates residents who lost their lives in the war, while the stone commemorates Jewish victims of German terror.

Landscape at the NAM site

The NAM site lies north of Grijpskerk and is surrounded by Noorderriet Nature Park. The area around the site was landscaped to create a natural environment between 1995 and 2005, and valuable natural features developed there. The NAM park includes woodland, bodies of water, reed beds, ruderal areas and grassland. The wet and dry nutrient-poor grasslands are particularly rich in natural value. Thus, Grijpskerk’s range of themes extends from the historic development of the dike village to the different habitats at the NAM site.

Discover more destinations: Aduard, Visvliet, Zuidhorn, Niehove.

Go to the main travel overview: Zuidhorn.