Church takes a tilt at leaning more than Tower of Pisa

Bedum is a municipality and a town in the northeastern Netherlands. Populated by around 10,000 (2005) inhabitants, Bedum is one of the larger of Groningen's several satellite towns. Bedum is the site of three supermarkets, several pubs, and its leaning church tower, dubbed "the leaning tower of Bedum". Footballer Arjen Robben was born in Bedum (January 23, 1984).

The leaning tower

According to Jacob van Dijk Bedum's 36-metre church tower of Walfridus is now leaning more than the leaning tower of Pisa. If both towers were the same height, Bedum would have a greater tilt of 6 cm, Van Dijk argues.

A 12th-century building in The Netherlands is challenging the famous Tower of Pisa as Europe's most leaning tower.

Church tower of Walfridus

Retired geometrician Jacob van Dijk said measurements on Bedum town's 36-metre church tower of Walfridus revealed it is now leaning more than its Italian rival, which lost part of its tilt following restoration works.

At a height of 55.86 meters, Pisa's tower leans about 4 metres, while the Dutch tower leans 2.61 metres on its height of 35.7 metres.

Van Dijk argues that if both towers were the same height, the tower of Walfridus would have a greater tilt of six cm.

He said: 'In Italy they're happy with the result, but here in Bedum we are much more happy, because the tower of Pisa is now leaning less than the tower of Bedum.'

Tower of Pisa

Bedum
Country	Netherlands
Province	Groningen
Area (2006)
- Total	44.96 km² (17.4 sq mi)
- Land	44.58 km² (17.2 sq mi)
- Water	0.38 km² (0.1 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2007)
- Total	10,617
- Density	238/km² (616.4/sq mi)
	Source: CBS, Statline.
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)