Modified on 25 March 2018City of Groningen
Over time we made some images from the city of Groningen located in the Northern part of the Netherlands. The city is the capital of the likewise named province of Groningen and has a population close to 200,000. As a university city having over 50,000 students (25% of the population), it is the youngest city of the Netherlands.
History
Archaeological evidence indicates settlements as far back as 3000 Before Christ, but the actual city was founded in 950 A.D. around the site of a Roman camp. By the 13th century, the city had become an important trade center. The city’s influence peaked at the end of the 15th century. Building the still existing Martinitoren tower occurred during this period, being the tallest building in Europe at that time.
Trading in the 15th century with foreign cities like Hamburg in Germany happened mainly by ship and as such Groningen had multiple canals with warehouses alongside. Fortunately a lot of these historical warehouses still exist, as can be seen at the canal “De Lage der Aa”. Some historical sailing ships are lying in this canal.
The University of Groningen founded in 1614 initially for religious education, but covers nowadays a broad area of subjects. The city did not escape the devastation of World War II. In particular, the main square, the Grote Markt, was largely destroyed in April 1945 in the Battle of Groningen. However, the Martinitoren, its church, the Goudkantoor (Golf Office from 1635), and the city hall were not damaged. The battle lasted several days.
