Groningen Off The Beaten Path

It's very in to go for Salsa Classes..
every Friday from 11 to early AM hemmingway (a trendy eatery around here) have salsa nites, where you can go and dance your feet away for free (and eat/drink for $)

Salsa roy is one of the best Schools there are around here... their website is below, u can use www.freetranslation.com to translate the dutch to english, or drop them an email for details

It's fun, new, and better than the gym!

the night of 29 April, and All day 30 April is KoningDag (Queens Day)
All accross Holland people are celebrating, partying out in the streets; with open air concerts, open markets, lots of people drinking and dancing and acting silly
You'll see alot of orange clothes and quircky hats

The biggest party is in Amsterdam, but Groningen is one of the fun places to be too considering most kids here are university students

A part of the old hospital building is still standing and worth looking at. It can be seen at the Oostersingel. Look for the old inscriptions above the doors.

Since in 1614 the university was started and dr. Nicolaus Mulerius came to teach one can study to be a doctor in Groningen. End of the 18th century dr Evert Jan Thomassen à Theusink started an academic hospital in order to give practical lessons 11 november 1797 the Nosocomium Academicum is opened. It soon is too small. And in 1803 another hospital is opened.
In 1817 the city Groningen is threathened by a tyfoid epidemic. And the citycouncil also starts a hospital. In 1852 the Nosocomium Academicum and the city hospital become the Algemeen Provinciaal Stads- en Academisch Ziekenhuis. The succes is great and a new building is located at Oostersingel. It was opened in 1903.The buildingcomplex is very modern, there is light, space and hygiene. The hospital is a huge succes and the university devellops new technics. 8 may 1957 the first openhart surgerie in the Netherlands is performed in Groningen. The hospital is growing and soon there is no garden left, all buildings.
In the 70s a discussion starts about a new building. In 1997 the new AZG is opened. The building is adjacent to the old hospital.

Normally you would keep away from the hospital as far as possible. But the AZG (Academisch Ziekenhuis Groningen) is a great building to visit. The huge hallways give it a sort of covered city look. All around you will find art objects. In august 2003 there also was an exhibition on 100 years hospital in Groningen. At the informatiebalie near the entrance, you can obtain a free art and architecture brochure.

Adres: Hanzeplein 1

In 1624 the old city gate at the Boteringestraat was broken down, together with the old earthen wall. Major Heerdt asked the citycouncil to built a place where his soldiers could be stationed on the open space that was created. And so it happened. The building was put here in 1634. Originally it were only soldiers, but later also firemen and parts were in use by the university.

Today it is private property and turned into an inn.

Some of the most beautifull buildings can be found just outside of the centre.
This very wide building in the Oude Boteringestraat dates from different centuries, but is made to one building through renovations. The oldest part is from the 15th century. Since 1755 it was the provincial courthouse untill the court moved to the Guyotplein. The building is now in use by the university.

Sitting on the terrace of the Groninger museum keep your eyes on the water. If a boat is passing get your camera out, the attraction is to come.......

When the drawbridge is opened you can see the downside, it is entirely filled with delftsblue tiles.

Located at the points of the compass, three of the four original harbors in Groningen still exist. They are worth a visit. The harbors are located on the edge of the city center: the East harbor (also the guest harbor), the North harbor (where sometimes tall ships are docked) and the South harbor (now the location of the famous Groninger Museum). The West harbor has been filled in several decades ago and is now a shopping mall.