Giethemer Church bridge - Giethmen

Most hamlets have no church, so residents went to surrounding parishes. The residents of the farmhouses in the centuries-old hamlet of Giethmen used to walk along the church path to the church in Ommen on Sundays. To help them cross the Regge, there used to be a barge in the form of a foot ferry at this spot that you had to operate yourself. This was not always possible, so if the boat was not available, people had to detour via the Nieuwebrug or Laarbrug.

The arrival of the Giethemer Kerkbrugje was a welcome change when it was built around 1905. To ensure that large boats could still cross the Regge, the little bridge was fitted with a lifting system. This lifting system has since been renewed several times, so it is no longer the same old system. But still the little bridge is a nostalgic feast for the eyes in this wonderfully peaceful, rural setting.

Incidentally, church paths were very common in previous centuries. These paths allowed residents to walk directly to the church. Many church paths have disappeared over the years, but this one between the hamlet of Giethmen and Ommen has been well preserved all along.