%cb%fa%s5Welcome to Groningen! :-) and other Groningen, Netherlands General Tips

Map

Favorite Thing:
Everyone knows where Amsterdam is in The Netherlands. But did you ever heard of Groningen?? It might be a 'bit out of the way' being all the way up in the north, and not that so well known. But it is a wonderful city and absolutely worth a visit. I just love this place! And I know you won't regret making a detour to stroll around yourself in Groningen. So come visit!!!

For me visiting Groningen is a visit back in time! This is where I used to live as a little child, went daily to when I studied, and still visit whenever I do get the chance. My latest visit was in April 2005 on a beautiful spring day. I loved this day! Strolling around the city in the sun, watching all the historical buildings, seeing all those familiar places again....... and...... doing some shopping! Hahaha, not that I like shopping, but this was an exception :-) I went out to buy some really Dutch goodies to take home with me to Sweden :-) Delicious!

Ready to join me on a walk through Groningen..... than follow me..... here we goooo.....

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Visiting Groningen?

Read reviews about Groningen Hotels

Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.

General Tips: Follow me.....

Tip Rating:

Updated by sim1

on Apr 10, 2005

The central station of Groningen

Favorite Thing:
The best place to start a tour of the city is at the Central Station in Groningen. But before we start of a round tour, let's take a look at the station itself. This is not 'just' a station. It is a beautiful building.

The station dates back to 1895 and it is a beautiful building. But if you think this station looks great on the outside, you really have to see the inside! Come, walk with me through these doors and have a look....

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

General Tips: Let's get inside

Tip Rating:

Updated by sim1

on Apr 10, 2005

Entrance door to the Groninger

train station

Favorite Thing:
Okay, we are inside now. Let's turn around and take a look at those doors that you just entered through..... amazing aren't they! It is like walking into a different world....

I love the way the light filters through the doors and the half round window above it. All those little details and attention that has been paid to the design are just wonderful to look at. The station is from 1896 and was designed by L. Gosschalk. He was inspired by Dutch-Flemish Gothic and Renaissance style. In the interior you can also see lots of Jugendstil. The station is full of ornaments and details and the main material that has been used to build this station is redbrick and Oberk�chner stone.

This hallway, in which we stand now, is 20 by 20 meters and 14 meters high. It is amazingly beautiful. Let me show you a bit more of this hallway in the next few tips......

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

General Tips: Amazing interior

Tip Rating:

Updated by sim1

on Apr 9, 2005

Ceiling of the train station in

Groningen

Favorite Thing:
Now look around you, and wow, look up... do you see that ceiling!

I was really amazed by what I saw! This is actually not the station that I remember. When I went to Groningen all these beautiful walls and ceilings were covered up by new white, boring walls. A couple of years ago they decided to restore the station into its old glory and tore away all the new walls and ceiling.... and this is what they discovered underneath it!!! Isn't it beautiful!

I am so glad they decided to restore it like this, it is so beautiful now.... hard to imagine it is a station. But maybe it isn't so hard to imagine... it is like going back in time.... can you imagine people walking here in 1835... I can!

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

General Tips: Details, details, details.....

Tip Rating:

Updated by sim1

on Apr 10, 2005

Interior of the train station in

Groningen

Favorite Thing:
Details, details, details.... there is so much to see here, it is hard to decide where to look! This is one of the walls and part of the ceiling of the hallway of the station. In the middle you can see a staircase clinging to the wall. On either sides of the staircase you have some beautiful and colourful tile work. You really have to see this for yourself!

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

Visiting Groningen?

Read reviews about Groningen Hotels

Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.

General Tips: "Paintings in tiles"

Tip Rating:

Updated by sim1

on Apr 7, 2005

Paintings in tiles inside the

station in Groningen

Favorite Thing:
On the opposite wall, above the old entrance to the luggage depot, you can see three more of these "paintings in tiles". These were made by F.H. Bach. In the middle you can see the "stadsmaagd of Groningen", with on the left side an image symbolising the telegraph and on the right side symbolising the mail.

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

General Tips: Times long gone by....

Tip Rating:

Updated by sim1

on Apr 10, 2005

Central station Groningen

Favorite Thing:
Everywhere in the station building you can see signs that refer to times long gone by. Like this one for example in the main entrance. On the sign it says: "Wachtkamer 1e en 2e klasse, damessalon" = "Waiting room first and second class, ladies waiting room". They used to have separate classes for the waiting room. I just like all these little details, showing how different life was many years ago.

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

General Tips: The station building

Tip Rating:

Updated by sim1

on Apr 7, 2005

Central station of Groningen

Favorite Thing:
It's time to leave the station and start touring around the rest of Groningen. But not before I look around one more time..... It is a remarkable building. Sadly they have ruined the view on the station by building big new buildings around it.... No, it's not visible in the picture, hahaha, I dislike it so much I don't even want to show it to you ;-))

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

General Tips: Peerd van Ome Loeks (Uncle Luke's Horse)

Tip Rating:

Updated by sim1

on Apr 7, 2005

Peerd van Ome Loeks

Favorite Thing:
Okay, I know whe only have walked a few metres, but we have to make a stop here to see the "Peerd van Ome Loeks" (Uncle Luke's Horse). It is right in front of the station. Everyone in Groningen knows the "Peerd van Ome Loeks", although the story is always a bit harder to remember :-)

Loeks was the Groninger Lucas van Hemmen, who was born in the Slingerij (tavern) on the A-straat in Groningen. This tavern also served as a stable. On market days, farmers came from far afield and stalled their horses there. Lucas became a jockey when he grew up. At the turn of the century he had made a name as a participant in (inter)national horse trotting.

When he was 25 years old, he was already known as 'Ome Loeks' (Uncle Luke). In 1910, one of his last horses died. The animal had attacked one of the stable lads and, coming to his aid, Hemmen grabbed a pitchfork and stabbed the horse in the nostril. The wound was not large but the animal caught convulsive gripes and died three days later.
A few boys who saw Hemmen grieving with his horse, started to tease him and started to sing this song :
---------------------------------------------'t Peerd van Ome Loeks is dood, Loeks is dood, Loeks is dood .
't Peerd van Ome Loeks is dood,
Hailemoal dood.
Guster nog goud gezond
Sluig e mit steert in't rond.
't Peerd van Ome Loeks is dood ....'

(It is sung to the tune of an old German song called "oh mein kleiner Augustin ")
---------------------------------------------

It didn't stay with this one time, the song was sang until his death in 1955. Four years earlier the song got so famous that they made a statue for it.

I wish I could translate the text for you, but it sounds not even close when I try that. It The song is in local dialect, and it starts like this...

"The horse of Uncle Luke is dead, Luke is dead, Luke is dead.
The horse of Uncle Luke is dead,
very much dead....."'

Hahaha, now I have this song in my head!!! ;-))

Leave a Comment

Add to Your Trip Planner | Post a Question | Write a Tip

General Tips: Groninger Museum

Tip Rating:

Updated by sim1

on Apr 10, 2005

Groningen Museum