Groningen, capital of the province of that name, lies at the junction of the Drenthse Aa (here called the Hoornse Diep) with the Winschoter Diep. Its harbor is accessible for small coastal shipping by way of the Reitdiep, which flows into the North Sea 20km/12.5mi northwest, or the Damsterdiep and the Eems Canal. To the south of the town is
Eelde Airport.
Groningen, the seat of a University founded in 1614 and other research institutes and the see of a Roman Catholic bishop, is the most important town in the northern Netherlands. As the main center for Groningen province and parts of the neighboring provinces of Drenthe and Friesland, it has one of the largest livestock, fruit, vegetable and flower markets in the country. Its corn exchange was for many years the only one in the Netherlands, and is now one of the largest in Europe. Seagoing vessels of up to 2000 tons can reach Groningen from its outer port, Delfzijl, on the Eems Canal. When Groningen still had an open link with the sea the effect of the tides was felt as far up as the town. The main industries are shipbuilding, chemicals, electrical apparatus and appliances, furniture and paper-making; both agricultural and industrial products are exported by water as well as by rail or road. In Groningen are the offices of the Netherlands Gas Union, a number of government agencies and the Post Office.
Although there was a settlement on the site in ancient times, Groningen first appears in the records in 1040, when the Emperor Henry III granted the bishop of Utrecht a fief in the town, together with the right to coin money. The town received its municipal charter later in the 11th century. In the mid 13th century it broke away from its subordination to Utrecht, and in 1284, already a prosperous trading town, it became a member of the Hanseatic League and developed into one of the leading commercial centers in northern Europe. In 1515 it was incorporated in the duchy of Gelre, and in 1536 it was conquered by the Emperor Charles V. Around 1579 Groningen joined the Union of Utrecht, but a year later it was occupied by the Spaniards, who were finally driven out by Maurice of Nassau in 1594. Between 1608 and 1616 the town was surrounded by a 7km/4.5mi-long circuit of walls, with 17 towers. After a further siege in 1672, which the town successfully withstood, its fortifications were strengthened in 1698 by the celebrated Dutch military engineer Menno van Coehoorn. In 1874 the old walls gave place to a ring of promenades and canals. During the Second World War Groningen, and particularly the town center with its gabled houses of the 16th-18th centuries, suffered severe damage, but this was quickly made good after the war. Groningen was the birthplace of the painters Jozef Israëls (1824-1911) and W. H. Message (1831- 1915), both members of the Hague School.
The city has several museums including the Groninger Museum, housed in a modern building designed by Alessandro Mendini. Groningen has a lively cultural scene with theatres that host concerts and cafes that host jazz jam sessions.
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