Grote Markt

Grote Markt is Groningen’s central and most historic square, which was already a natural meeting point in the Middle Ages, where merchants from all over the region came to trade grain, cattle, cabbage, handicrafts and imported products. As Groningen grew as a trading city in the Hanseatic League, the square’s importance increased, and this could be seen, among other things, in the buildings that sprang up around it.

The appearance of the square has changed many times throughout history. In the Middle Ages, it was surrounded by wooden houses, stalls and low merchant yards, but after several fires and later urban development, it took on its current more open and regulated character. During World War II, the area was severely affected during the fighting in April 1945, which led to extensive destruction of buildings on the eastern and northern sides of the square. After the war, these areas were rebuilt in a contemporary style, which is why the mixture of architectural eras that you see today is the result.

Today, the Grote Markt serves as both a trading place and a place of residence for the city’s residents and the many students who characterize Groningen. Several times a week, market stalls are set up with, for example, fruit, vegetables and flowers, and the square is surrounded by cafés, restaurants and shops. Large events such as New Year’s celebrations, sporting events, concerts and public ceremonies are often held here, where you can also see several of the city’s attractions such as the Martinitoren, which rises dramatically above the other roofs.

Town Hall
Stadhuis

The Stadhuis on the Grote Markt is one of Groningen’s most striking public buildings and a central symbol of the city’s political and administrative history. The current building was built in the late 18th century and early 19th century as a replacement for an older town hall that no longer met the requirements of the time. The architecture is neoclassical, and it was inspired by the ancient ideals of balance, symmetry and monumentality. The façade is characterised by a large colonnade with Corinthian columns, wide staircases and a clear central axis, which emphasise the building’s authority and dignity.

Inside the Stadhuis there are a number of rooms that have traditionally been used for city council meetings, ceremonies and official receptions. The building has served as the centre of the city’s decision-making processes over time, and many of the most important political events in Groningen’s history have taken place here. One of the most significant objects in the building is the so-called Golden Book/Gulden Boek, which is a book of honour with the names of citizens who have made special contributions to the city. The book is kept in one of the official rooms and is still used on ceremonial occasions.

The Stadhuis has also undergone renovations and restorations. In the 19th century, the interior was modernised to accommodate new administrative functions, and later in the 20th century the building underwent a gentle restoration to return it to its original appearance. During the fighting in 1945, the town hall was damaged, but the main structures were preserved, and the building was quickly restored to its former form, which dominates the appearance of the Grote Markt.

The Gold Office
Het Goudkantoor

Het Goudkantoor is one of Groningen’s most characteristic and historically significant buildings. The beautiful house is located in the center of the Grote Markt, immediately behind the city hall. The building was built in the early 18th century as an administrative and commercial office for the city’s gold and silversmithing trade, hence the name Het Goudkantoor, which means the gold office. It has since played a central role in Groningen’s economic and municipal history and is today one of the finest examples of Dutch architecture of this period in the city.

The architecture is elegant and characterized by harmonious proportions. The facade has decorative cornices and a characteristic gable with ornamentation, marking the building’s importance as an office for valuable goods. The building stands in sharp contrast to the more modern buildings on the Grote Markt. Today, the building houses a café and restaurant, and Goudkantoor is used for various purposes such as cultural events, exhibitions and private events.

Martin Tower
Martinitoren

The Martinitoren is a tower that stands as the most striking landmark in Groningen, with a height of almost 100 meters above the city center. The current tower is the third in the series, as the two previous towers collapsed in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, respectively, after heavy storms and construction errors. The current tower was built in the late 15th century and early 16th century and stands as a classic example of Northern Dutch Gothic, where brick and sandstone are combined in a vertical, almost sculptural architecture. The surface of the tower has over time acquired a characteristic darker tone, which has given it the nickname d’Olle Grieze or the old gray.

The way up the tower is an experience in itself. A narrow, spiral staircase with about 260 steps winds past several intermediate platforms, where you can see into the tower’s structure, bell chamber and old wooden beams. One of the highlights is the large carillon consisting of over 60 bells, which are regularly used by the city’s bell ringers. When the bells play over the Grote Markt and the old streets, it is one of the most characteristic soundscapes in Groningen.

From the viewing platform near the top, the city spreads out in all directions. On clear days, you can see the flat landscapes stretching around the built-up area, and the structures of the city itself stand out clearly, with canals, old streets, the university buildings and the monumental squares as some of the recognizable places.

St. Martin’s Church
Martinikerk

The Martinikerk, which stands at the foot of the Martinitoren, is the oldest and most traditional church in Groningen. The first church on the site is believed to have been built in the 13th century, but the building has undergone several significant extensions since then, especially in the 15th and 16th centuries. The church is an excellent example of Gothic church architecture in the Netherlands, with high vaults, an elongated nave and a combination of original brickwork and later stonework. The church room is bright and impressive in its height, and many of the original medieval details have been preserved.

One of the church’s most famous elements is the historic organ. The oldest parts of the organ date back to the 15th century, and the instrument was later expanded by the famous North German organ builder Arp Schnitger in the late 17th century. The organ is today considered one of the most important Schnitger instruments in Europe and has a sound that attracts both musicians and organ enthusiasts from all over the world. The church is frequently used for concerts, where the sound of the organ fills the large room in a way that highlights the acoustics and the Gothic architecture.

The Martinikerk also contains a number of historical tombstones, epitaphs and memorial tablets. Among the most famous is the burial place of Wessel Gansfort, one of the most important scholars in Groningen’s medieval history. Several tombstones from the 16th and 17th centuries provide insight into the city’s social class, the importance of officials, and the church as a center of ceremonies and civic life. Many of these memorials are decorated with coats of arms, reliefs, and Latin inscriptions.

Forum Groningen

Forum Groningen is one of the city’s most striking recent buildings and serves as a cultural, social, and architectural powerhouse. Inaugurated in the late 2010s, the building is the result of an ambitious urban project that was to provide Groningen with a modern gathering place for learning, culture, film, exhibitions, and community. The Forum’s architecture is futuristic and bold as a tall, stepped building with sloping facades, large glass areas, and open interior spaces that create a sense of movement and transparency. The building rises dramatically above the neighborhood and stands in strong contrast to the medieval and classical buildings around it.

Inside, Forum is an open and almost labyrinthine space, with a central atrium extending the entire height of the building. Here you can see down through the floors, while the wide stairs and terraces connect the levels in a fluid flow. Forum houses the city’s main library, several film and lecture halls, exhibition rooms, maker spaces, study rooms, meeting rooms and a large openable roof terrace. The building is designed to invite you to stay, and you will meet students, families with children on their way to events, guests at film screenings and people who simply come to enjoy the building’s architecture.

On the roof you will find one of the city’s most beautiful viewpoints. From here you can see in all directions over the roofs of Groningen, with the Martinitoren as the most striking landmark. The roof terrace functions as both a café area and a quiet place to stay, and the view makes Forum a favorite place for photographers, visitors and locals who want to experience the city from a new angle.

Groningen Theatre
Stadsschouwburg Groningen

Stadsschouwburg Groningen is the city’s historic theatre and one of the most elegant cultural centres in the north of the Netherlands. The theatre was built in the late 19th century and inaugurated in the early 20th century as a monumental landmark for the city’s cultural ambitions. The architecture is created in a magnificent neo-Renaissance and neo-Baroque style, typical of Europe’s great city theatres of the time. The façade is rich in ornamentation, arched windows, tower-like elements and classical details, which together give the building an almost royal appearance. When approaching the theatre from the Turfsingel or Kleine der A area, it seems as if the building rises of itself and invites guests to step inside a space created for art and atmosphere.

Inside, the Stadsschouwburg is just as impressive. The foyer and wide staircases are characterized by woodwork, chandeliers, decorative ceilings and an atmosphere that combines historical charm with modern functionality. The main hall is the heart of the building. It is a classic horseshoe-shaped theatre with a balcony, boxes and a red and gold colour palette, which creates a warm and intimate atmosphere. The acoustics are one of the best in the region, making the theatre particularly suitable for drama, opera, classical music, cabaret and large-scale performing arts productions.

The Stadsschouwburg is not only a place for performances. It is also a centre for the city’s cultural life. The theatre hosts a wide range of national and international productions, festivals, guest performances, lectures and special events every year. Many great Dutch artists have had their debut here, and the hall is also used for ceremonies, awards and cultural celebrations in the city.

The Prince’s Garden
Prinsentuin

Prinsentuin is a Renaissance garden from the early 17th century, located behind the historic Prinsenhof in the old town. The garden was laid out in a classic geometric style with symmetrical beds, clipped hedges and a clear division into a rose garden, herb garden and pleasure garden. The original design dates back to the period when William Frederick of Nassau-Dietz and later stadtholders used the building as a residence, and the garden was therefore not only ornamental but also a representative element of court culture.

The rose garden is particularly famous for its many historical varieties, which bloom in large fields of color in the summer. The herb garden, on the other hand, was laid out according to a more functional pattern with medicinal and aromatic plants, reflecting the use of the time in the kitchen and household. Small details such as sundials, stone benches and decorative gates can be found throughout the garden, giving the area an atmosphere of timeless tranquility and historical continuity.

One of the garden’s most characteristic features is the large Renaissance portal with a sundial above the entrance, which dates back to the 18th century. This portal forms the frame for the garden’s tranquil space and provides a glimpse of how noble families and officials once moved through the area. During the summer months, a small salon opens at one end of the Prinsentuin, where visitors can enjoy the surroundings at the same leisurely pace as they did centuries ago, and it is a lovely place in the middle of the Dutch metropolis.

North Harbour
Noorderhaven

Noorderhaven is one of the most atmospheric areas in Groningen and also one of the oldest inner city harbors in the whole of the Netherlands. It has served as a harbor since the Middle Ages, and for centuries it was an important hub for trade, shipping and transport between Groningen and the northern provinces as well as to Germany and Scandinavia. Today, Noorderhaven is a living museum of the harbor’s maritime past, but also functions as a modern residential area, where people live on traditional ships all year round.

Along the harbor are historic warehouses and gabled houses, which give the area an almost picturesque character. Many of the buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries and reflect Groningen’s time as a trading city in the Dutch Golden Age. The water is filled with old clippers and other flat-bottomed ships that once transported goods along the Dutch canals. Several of them have been beautifully restored and serve as houseboats, creating a unique blend of historical atmosphere and modern lifestyle.

The area around Noorderhaven is also known for its calm, relaxed atmosphere. Many visitors take a walk along the quay to enjoy the view, and especially in the evenings the light from the old ships reflects beautifully in the water. The harbor is closely connected to the nearby streets in the city center, making it easy to combine a walk past Noorderhaven with a visit to a café, shopping or a stop at Noorderplantsoen.

Noorderplantsoen

Noorderplantsoen is located north of the city center and stretches like a long, narrow green ribbon through the district. The park was created in the late 19th century on the remains of Groningen’s old defensive walls, which originally consisted of bastions, earthen ramparts and moats. When the city’s military importance waned, the ramparts were transformed into a romantic English landscape garden in keeping with the fashion of the time, with winding paths, meandering ponds and rolling grass slopes.

The park is rich in both botanical and historical elements. Many of the trees are over 100 years old, and there are around 50 species, which contribute to the park’s varied expression all year round. In spring, a so-called stinzenflora blooms, which is a special set of spring plants that are traditionally found around historical sites in the Netherlands. In addition, there are several works of art around the park.

Noorderplantsoen is also a cultural center. Every year, the large Noorderzon Performing Arts Festival is held, an event that combines art, theater, music, installations and international guest acts in a relaxed outdoor atmosphere. The festival lasts for almost two weeks and attracts many thousands of visitors. The park also houses a historic pavilion, now known as Zondag. It serves as a café and gathering place for both locals and visitors all year round.

The Academie Building
Academiegebouw

The Academiegebouw is the main building of the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, one of the city’s most impressive and prestigious institutions. The building was built in the late 19th century to replace a previous university building that had burned down. The result was a magnificent construction in neo-Renaissance and neo-Gothic styles with a striking facade, ornate details and a monumental staircase leading up to the main entrance.

The inside of the building is at least as impressive as the outside. The wide staircases, high ceilings and elaborate decorations create an atmosphere of both academic grandeur and historical elegance. The large ceremonial hall is the heart of the building and is used for inaugurations, graduation ceremonies, prize presentations and special official events. The hall is decorated with portraits of former rectors and important researchers, marking the university’s long history dating back to 1614.

The Academiegebouw is also a place where everyday life unfolds. Students constantly pass through the corridors, and the building serves as a meeting place for conferences, lectures and public events. It is centrally located in the city, close to the Broerstraat and the surrounding university buildings, making the area one of the liveliest academic districts in the Netherlands.

Vismarkt

Vismarkt is one of Groningen’s oldest and most traditional squares and has been characterized by commerce for centuries. The name comes from the time when the fish market was an important part of the city’s economy, and the square served as a hub for trading fish from the North Sea and local rivers. But Vismarkt has always been more than just a fish market. It was a central meeting place for traders, farmers, students, citizens and travellers, and throughout its history the square has functioned as a lively open-air market for all types of goods.

Architecturally, Vismarkt is particularly interesting because the square is surrounded by a mix of old merchant houses, modern shops and historic buildings, which together reflect the development of the city. At the western end of the square is the impressive Korenbeurs, the city’s former grain exchange, which was built in the 19th century and is considered one of Groningen’s most striking classicist buildings. Behind the Korenbeurs, the A-Kerk rises as a monumental backdrop to the square.

A Church
A-Kerk

A-Kerk is one of Groningen’s most important churches, and for centuries it has been a religious, architectural and cultural beacon in the western city centre. The current building was established in the Middle Ages with roots dating back to the 13th century, but underwent several extensions and renovations during the 15th and 16th centuries. The church is named after the river Aa, which flows nearby and has historically been linked to the city’s trade and shipping, as the area around the Vismarkt and the river was once Groningen’s maritime trading hub.

Architecturally, A-Kerk is an excellent example of Dutch Gothic and Late Gothic building styles. The building has high, elegant vaults and large windows. The striking tower, which can be seen from large parts of the city, has been rebuilt several times due to storm damage and fire, and each time it has been given new elements that reflect the style of the time. The church therefore appears as a historical mosaic of eras.

The interior of A-Kerk is characterized by the high, Gothic nave, where the vaults rest on slender columns and create an impressive spatial experience with a clear, bright expression. After the Reformation, the church room was simplified and whitewashed, which still gives the interior a calm and almost monumental atmosphere. In the middle of the church stands the Baroque pulpit with its accompanying woodwork, designed in the late 17th century, and around the room there are preserved seats and benches that were previously reserved for the city council, provincial representatives and the city’s official officials.

The church’s greatest ornament is the large Schnitger organ, one of the most important historical organs in the Netherlands. It is an organ with a richly decorated organ facade and a powerful sound. In the southern transept there is also an older, no longer functional organ, which adds another layer to the church’s musical history. Although the A-Kerk housed a large number of side altars in the Middle Ages, only the architectural traces remain in the form of niches and marks on the walls and columns. Overall, the interior appears as a harmonious combination of Gothic spatial effect, Reformation austerity and rich Baroque craftsmanship.

Museum aan de A

Museum aan de A is a historical and cultural museum in Groningen that tells the story of the city and province through themes such as population, culture, economy and seafaring. The museum is located in two beautifully preserved medieval buildings, Gotisch Huis and Canterhuis, which are over 700 years old. The buildings provide the museum with an authentic historical setting, where the architecture of the past merges with modern museum presentation. Museum aan de A has undergone extensive renovations to make the buildings more accessible, energy-efficient and suitable for today’s exhibition formats, while preserving the historical elements.

The museum’s collection is extensive and diverse, with thousands of objects, ship models, sketches, nautical charts, paintings and historical photographs. These collections tell the story of the city’s maritime history as well as the lives, working conditions and social development of ordinary people over the centuries. The museum presents its collections through thematic worlds that allow visitors to understand Groningen’s development from different angles, such as the economy, city and countryside, conflict and resistance, and cultural identity. In this way, past and present are combined, and one gets a holistic experience of how the city and region have shaped and been shaped by its citizens.

The exhibitions focus not only on trade and shipping, but also on social life, technology, crafts and the city’s cultural traditions. Many of the objects provide a vivid insight into everyday life in Groningen over the centuries. This is done through everything from everyday tools and clothing to official documents and valuables. At the same time, the museum conveys Groningen’s role as a trading and maritime city, and how the waterways and port have been crucial to the city’s development.

Groninger Museum

The Groninger Museum is a remarkable art museum in European format, both for its bold architecture and its extensive collection. The building is located on a small island in the Verbindingskanaal opposite the railway station, and its colorful, postmodern design was created by a number of international architects such as Alessandro Mendini. The result is a fusion of geometric shapes, shiny surfaces and asymmetrical volumes, which makes the museum an attraction in itself and a milestone in modern museum architecture.

The museum’s permanent collection ranges widely from regional art and historical objects to modern and contemporary art. The museum is particularly known for its large collection of works by the Dutch artist group De Ploeg, which had its heyday in the early 20th century. The group worked experimentally with color, light and expressionist techniques and had a strong connection to Groningen and the northern landscape. The museum also houses changing international exhibitions, which often focus on avant-garde, design and interdisciplinary projects.

Main Station
Hoofdstation

Groningen Hoofdstation is the city’s central railway station and one of the most striking transport buildings in the northern Netherlands. Originally built in 1896, the station has undergone several modernisations since then, but it has retained its historic charm and distinctive architecture. The building stands as both a practical transport hub and an architectural landmark that welcomes travellers to the city.

The façade and main building exude the 19th century style ideal with red bricks, large windows and a symmetrical structure with clear horizontal and vertical lines. The central entrance is marked by decorative cornices and a prominent clock. Inside, the station appears both spacious and bright with high ceilings, large glass areas and detailed ornaments. Waiting areas and cafés are integrated in a way that creates a harmonious flow between function and aesthetics.