Groningen

The city is located in the north of the Netherlands in the center of the province of Groningen . The total area is 83.69 km² (of which land is 79.59 km², the water surface is 4.10 km²). The total population is 184,777 people, of which about 45,000 are university students, primarily the University of Groningen .

The city was founded on the northernmost point of the Hondsrug district ( Hondsrug ). The first mention of Groningen in a written source dates back to 1040 . On the territory of the city, cultural layers are found that indicate the presence of people there in the years 3950–3720. BC. According to archaeologists, the first large settlement in Groningen appeared in the III century AD. In the 13th century, when Groningen became a major trading center, its inhabitants built city walls, highlighting its growing importance during that period. The city had a strong influence on the surrounding land and helped to harmonize the dialects that existed in the district. The city reached its heyday in the 15th century, when the nearby province of Friesland was governed from Groningen. The independence of the city ended when the city decided to join the Spaniards in 1594 during the Eighty Years War . Subsequently, Groningen became part of the Republic of the United Provinces .

In 1614, the University of Groningen was founded. During this period, Groningen was actively developing, new city walls were built. They were useful to the city in 1672 during the Third Anglo-Dutch War , when the city was besieged by the Archbishop of Munster Bernard von Galen. The walls survived, and this event is celebrated annually on August 28 with fireworks and holiday festivities.

During the Second World War, the city was not subjected to serious destruction. Nevertheless, the central square of Groningen, or Grote Markt, suffered in April 1945 during the Battle of Groningen . The Church of St. Martin with its famous tower, Goudkantoor (a famous building in the city, used as a place to collect taxes) and city walls remained unharmed. The battle lasted for several days.

Groningen is called the “World Capital of Cyclists”, over 57% of the city’s transportation needs are solved by bicycles. The transport infrastructure of the city is adapted to the needs of cyclists, public transport passengers, and pedestrians: in Groningen there is an extensive network of bicycle paths and bicycle stands, large pedestrian areas in the city center.

Groningen is a railway junction. There are three stations in Groningen, Groningen, Groningen-Europapark and Groningen-Nord.

The A28 motorway connects Groningen with Utrecht , and the A7 with Friesland and Amsterdam .

Groningen is a small city, but despite this, it plays a significant role as a center for the development of music and other arts, education and business activities for the north of the Netherlands. A large number of students living in Groningen also bring diversity to the life of Groningen.

The University of Groningen was founded in 1614 , it is the oldest university in the Netherlands after Leiden . It was at this university that the first woman in the Netherlands who became a doctor of science, Aletta Jacobs, was educated. University graduates were Nobel laureates in physics Heike Kamerling-Onnes and Fritz Zernike , as well as the first president of the European Central Bank Vim Dyusenberg . Over 200,000 students, teachers and researchers have passed through the University of Groningen.

Euroborg Stadium, the football club Groningen Stadium, one of the most interesting buildings in the city. Opened in January 2006, accommodates 20,000 spectators. The former football stadium of Groningen, Oosterpark Stadion, accommodated only 12,500 people.

Groningen Museum , the most significant museum of Groningen. The reconstruction of its main building was carried out by an Italian architect and designer Alessandro Mendini. The museum has been transformed into one of the most modern and innovative art centers in the Netherlands. In addition, the city has the Anatomical Museum, the Northern Maritime Museum, the Nemeiger Museum of Tobacco, the Anthropological Museum of Gerardus van der Lev, the Museum of Graphics and the Museum of the University of Groningen ^[2] .

In Groningen there is the city theater Stadsschouwburg, located on Turfsingel. The largest theater and concert venue in the city is called “Martini Plaza”. Another major cultural site located on the Trompsingel, called Oosterpoort. Vera is located on Oosterstraat, Grand Theater on the main square, and Simplon on Boterdiep. Several cafes offer to listen to live music, some specialize in jazz, one of these institutions - Jazz Cafe Spiegel on Peperstraat. Groningen is the venue for the Eurosonic festival, an annual musical show in which many teams from all over Europe take part.

Groningen has a moderate, steady climate with relatively cool, but long, summer and warm winters. The North Sea influences the weather in the city, bringing strong winds and storms from the northwest.

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  Goudkantoor

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  Town hall

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  Canal and Aa Church

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  Church Aa

• portal.groningen.nl (nid.) - the official site of Groningen
• Old photos of Groningen (nid.)
• Archive Groningen (nid.)
• The site of the Museum of Groningen (nid.) (English) (it.)
• University of Groningen (nid .)
• Vera - pop club underground in Groningen (Eng.) (Nid.)
• Webcams in Groningen (NID.)
• History of the Second World War (Groningen) (English)