Echteld (G): reformed church
The church of
Echteld is one of the oldest in this part of the country. The
aisleless nave, which is largely made out of irregular blocks of tuff, was built in the
12th century or earlier and shows elements of the original
Romanesque style, like the portal on the south side. The original small
windows were later enlarged to the current size. The Gothic choir was
built in the 14th century and has remarkably deep buttresses with
saddleback roofs. Although largely built out of brick, its outside is
covered with tuff. On the north side several buttresses have been removed and
windows filled, probably when a consistory was built in the 19th century.
The foundations of the church extend about seven and a half meters further to the west, evidence that the church was once much bigger. In 1833 the original Romanesque tower collapsed and destroyed part of the nave. The latter was shortened in 1835 and a new brick tower was built. Probably in the same period, the heavy buttresses were added to the north side of the nave.
