The Bow

e Boog is a stone arch bridge over the Winsumerdiep in the village of Winsum in the Dutch province of Groningen. The bridge forms the old connection between the former village of Obergum and the village of Winsum.

Before the 19th century, there was a wooden bridge over the Grote Zijldiep, as the Winsumerdiep was then known. In 1807 the Zijldiep was heavily silted up and the flow was endangered. The bridge was also in poor condition. The Winsumer and Schaphalsterzijlvest, who had deep control over it, decided to excavate the deep between Winsum and Obergum and build a stone arch bridge to replace the wooden bridge. Excavation of the deep was soon started. However, the tender for the bridge did not go very smoothly and the few contractors who tendered all exceeded estimates. One of the temporary dams around the reclaimed part of the Winsumerdiep could no longer withstand the pressure of the water, whereupon the water rushed in with great force, causing considerable damage to houses on both sides of the water. A new tender for the bridge on 11 June 1808 eventually led to its construction by contractor Jan de Vries, who completed the work in the autumn of 1808 for the sum of 8976 guilders. 63,000 bricks and 110 kegs of cement were used for the construction.

In 1824 the bridge was somewhat repaired due to defects. In 1843 a major repair took place. A year later 43 irons (to connect the tombstones; stone slabs of the bridge) were replaced by heavier ones. In 1856, the above-mentioned side fortresses were united to form the Hunsingo water board and had the bridge renovated. Part of the wing walls was re-bricked and the bridge received 12 new Bentheimer sandstone deck slabs and 11 new wall anchors. With the construction of a new bridge at the end of the 19th century, the bridge's burden was significantly reduced.

In the May days of 1940, the Dutch military leadership decided to blow up all bridges between Delfzijl and Zoutkamp in order to delay the German passage to Vesting Holland via the north. On May 10, 1940, the railway bridge, De Boog, and the bridge over the Provincial road were blown up in Winsum by the engineers. On 25 May, the Hunsingo water board decided to rebuild the bridge. However, the tender did not take place until March 21, 1941, after which the bridge was rebuilt the same year at a cost of 7245 guilders.

For several years now, the bridge may only be used by cyclists and pedestrians.