Groningen
The Metropole of the North
Groningen is the metropole of the North and, with a population of 180.000, the seventh largest city in the Netherlands. Groningen's attractiveness - the 'secret of Groningen' if you like - relies on a combination of factors: a historic city centre with elegant shops, lively markets and varied entertainment facilities. There is a very large student population and a wide range of art and culture venues. All these activities and energetic people come together within one square kilometer in the shadow of the Martini Tower: the 'Grote Markt' and its immediate vicinity. This combination makes Groningen a vital city at all hours of the day and night. Groningen boasts a level of amenities which can only be found in major cities. Institutions such as the University and the Academic Hospital make Groningen the regional centre for more than half a million people. Over the years, it has developed to become a modern network city, the centre of a dynamic and exciting region. Around half of those who work in Groningen live outside the city itself. Through excellent public transport, ongoing attention for the quality of the outlying area (the 'Ommeland') and through listening to the wishes of the people themselves, Groningen intends to strengthen its network function yet further.
Groningen Residential City
Groningen is a complete residential city with characteristic neighborhoods, attractive shops and convivial open-air markets. And, as mentioned, there are exhilarating entertainment opportunities with one-hundred-and-sixty bars and discotheques and dozens of pavement cafés. The liberal closing times in the catering industry ensure that the clock does not restrict the hours of pleasure. All this is enveloped in the unperturbed expanse and peace of the surrounding environment.
Entertainment a-plenty
The city centre boasts no fewer than 160 bars, cafés and discotheques, and scores of open-air terraces on which to enjoy a balmy summer evening. There is something for everyone - from the traditional Dutch 'brown café' to the trendiest hi-tech. And because Groningen is the 'youngest' city in the Netherlands (there are many students and over half the population are under thirty-five) these bars are not only lively at weekends, but on weekdays as well.
The draw of history
Of course, the city centre is not all bars and cafés. It is also a district in which people live, work, shop and soak up a little culture. It is rich in history and offers plenty for the visitor to see. The central square, Grote Markt, has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years. Following a local referendum, the Waagstraat side of the district was restored to its pre-war layout. In this project, the Italian architect Natalini has achieved a masterful combination of nostalgia and twenty-first century allure.
Fully fit
There are many recreation areas in and around Groningen. A newly-developed location is the Kardinge sports centre. Not only are there modern facilities for skating, swimming, ice hockey, tennis, squash and keep fit- Kardinge also hosts sub-tropical swimming parties and even 'house' parties. Close to the sports centre, a number of private businesses have set up shop to offer a go-karting track, a climbing wall, a pancake house, a children's party centre and a miniature golf course. The Kardinge concept, which also includes a Park + Ride 'transferium', has attracted the attention of many other city administrations and is likely to be emulated elsewhere.