比薩斜塔讓位 德國尖塔成“世界最斜塔”
German steeple beats Leaning Tower of Pisa into Guinness book
A 15th century church steeple in Germany snatches the accolade of the most tilted tower in the world
A 15th century church steeple in Germany has snatched the accolade of the most tilted tower in the world from the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Guinness Book of World Records confirmed on Thursday.
The 27-metre-high (86-feet-high) steeple in the northern village of Suurhusen tilts at an angle of 5.19 degrees compared to just 3.97 degrees for the Pisa tower.
In a ceremony to mark Guinness World Records Day on Thursday, the book's editor-in-chief handed over a certificate to mark the accomplishment to church officials.
"We have always known it, but now it's official," said the pastor of the church, Frank Wessels.
According to local historian Tjabbo van Lessen, the church was built in marshy land in 1450 on foundations of oak tree trunks which were preserved by the water in the ground.
When the land was drained in the 19th century, the wood rotted, causing the tower to tilt.
The steeple was closed to the public in 1975 for safety reasons, but re-opened 10 years later after being made safe.
Suurhusen is a village of 1,200 residents near Germany's border with the Netherlands.
《吉尼斯世界紀錄大全》於上週四確認，德國一座建於15世紀的教堂尖塔“擊敗”意大利比薩斜塔，贏得“世界最斜塔”的稱號。
這座位於德國北部蘇烏爾胡森村的教堂尖塔高27米，傾斜5.19度，而比薩斜塔的傾斜度僅爲3.97度。
在本週四“吉尼斯世界紀錄大全日”的慶祝儀式上，《吉尼斯世界紀錄大全》的主編向教堂的神職人員頒發了證書。
教堂的弗蘭克•威瑟爾斯牧師說：“其實，我們早知道這個事實，但現在我們得到了官方的認證。”
據當地歷史學家蒂加博•範•萊森介紹，這座教堂於1450年在爛泥地裏建成，它以橡樹樹幹爲地基，幾個世紀以來，教堂的木質地基一直浸泡在地下水中。
19世紀，這塊地裏的水被排幹，木質地基也隨之腐爛，導致整個建築逐漸傾斜。
由於安全原因，尖塔於1975年停止向公衆開放，但十年後，經過安全加固的尖塔又重新對外開放。
蘇烏爾胡森村地處德國與荷蘭交界處，共有1200個居民。
Leaning Tower of Pisa:比薩斜塔（意大利比薩城大教堂的獨立式鐘樓，位於比薩大教堂的後面，是奇蹟廣場的三大建築之一。 鐘樓始建於1173年，設計爲垂直建造，但是在工程開始後不久便由於地基不均勻和土層鬆軟而傾斜，1372年完工，塔身傾斜向東南。 比薩斜塔是比薩城的標誌，1987年它和相鄰的大教堂、洗禮堂、墓園一起因其對11世紀至14世紀意大利建築藝術的巨大影響，而被聯合國教育科學文化組織評選爲世界遺產。據介紹，目前“世界最斜塔”無論在設計還是在精美度上都無法與比薩斜塔相媲美。）
marshy land:爛泥地
