Walking Tour of Groningen

Last week I went on a self guided walking tour of Groningen. I followed a pamphlet provided by the local tourist office (the VVV). I never got lost. It was really helpful. Here are some of the pictures I took. I'll put the captions above the pictures from Left to Right.

1. View of the Aa-Kerk and Grote Market. The church building dates back to the 15th century.
2. The Ladies public toilett. It was suprisingly pleasant.
3. City Hall. Building dates from 1810. The large scar on the lower portion of the building is a result of bullet holes from WWII.


1. Goudkantoor (gold office). Dating from 1635, it once functioned as the tax-collection office of the city.
2. Kleine Snor. Groningen's smallest street
3. Provincial Government Buliding. The Left facade dates from 1559.

1. Prinsenhoftuin Garden. This Renaissance style garden was laid out in 1625 and has a rose garden, old-Groningen fruit trees, and hedges. I really like this garden. I've been here every trip to Groningen and each time it's a little different.

2. Former pharmacy. The deer with antlers refers to the grated deerhorn which was considered a remedy in olden days.

3. Corps de Garde. This is the former guardhouse at teh Boteringepoort gate.

1. Oude Boteringstraat. This street has a lot of historically important buildings.

2. House with 13 temples. It was named after the former gothic facade with 13 pinnacles.

3. Academigebouw. The second univeristy in the Netherlands was established in 1614 in Groningen. This is one of the original buildings.

1. Typical Downtown Groningen Street. Usually the streets are barely wide enough for 2 small cars.

2. Groningen Canal.

3. House boat on the canal. The buldings on each side of the canal used to be warehouses but have since been converted to houses or buisnesses.

1. and 2. More scenes from Groningen.

3. Courtyard of the Northern Nautical Museum and Tobacco Museum. The building once served as a brewery.

1. Aa-Kerk

2. Exterior of Museums

3. Dienst Ruimtelijke Ordening (town and country planning office).

1. Interior courtyard of a Heligen Geest Gastuis (Holy Spirit Hospice). The hospice took care of the poor, sick, and elderly and functioned as an inn.

2. Saint Joseph Cathedral. The tower is nicknamed the drunk tower because 2 clock faces (double vision) are always visable.