The reformed church of Holwierde, in catholic times known as St. Nicolaas, was built in the late-11th century. Parts of the nave of the original Romanesque church remain as the lower parts of the walls of the current nave. These are recognizable for the tuff stone that was used for its construction. In the 13th century the nave was heightened in brick. It was heightened a second time in the early-14th century, when, after each other,  the Romanogothic transept and the mostly Gothic choir were added. These two parts of the church illustrate the transition from late-Romanogothic to actual Gothicism. The original gables of the transept were demolished in 1896; the current ones were built during a restoration in 1945-1950. The small tower at the front was added during the same restauration; the original free-standing tower, built in the 13th century, collapsed in 1836 and was entirely demolished in 1854.