Jaap van 't Veen's photos with the keyword: Appingedam

The city of Appingedam developed in the early part of the 12th century, when sailors, merchants and craftsmen settled here, because there was an excellent connection with the open sea. The settlement soon became a flourishing trade and market centre. In 1630 an excisting Guildhall was converted into a town hall. The upper floor was used as the town hall; the ground floor served as the town weighhouse (until 1825, the weighhouse was still used for weighing pigs). The (former) town hall of Appingedam is one of the smallest Renaissance town halls in the Netherlands. In 1825 the town hall was extended at the rear to the Nicolaïkerk . The open passageway of the building is very special and gives the building an elegant character. The façade shows among other things a sculpted woman's head with the city arms above it and an almost life-sized statue of an unblindfolded Lady Justice.

The Nicolaïkerk (Nicolai Church) is a hall church with three naves, built in a Romano-Gothic style. This church is the biggest in the province of Groningen, apart from the Martini-church and the A-church which are situated in the city of Groningen. The building of the church was completed in seven phases between approximately 1200 and 1560. Its construction closely followed the development of Appingedam, the most important harbour in the province of Groningen during the Middle Ages. In the first instance a hall-church was built between 1200 and 1225, consisting of the two first bays of the nave with dome-shaped vaults and a tower. After several enlargements and addtions, the church became its current shape. The outside measurements are approximately: length = 48 meters, width = 28 meters and from the top of the vault to the floor 13 meters in height. The first tower of the church was built on the west-side. Mid 16th century that tower was demolished because it was thought that it caused too much pressure on the building. A new built tower was demolished in 1835 due to its condition. The present tower clashes somewhat with the church building. Originally the church was dedicated to Maria, but changed early in the 15th century to St. Nicholas, patron saint of the sailors and merchants. The Nicolaïkerk is s Dutch national heritage site since 1968 and one of the top 100 sites in the Netherlands.

Although almost nobody in the Netherlands would call Appingedam a city, it became its city rights already in the year of 1327. For sure the city is much older, but its date of origin is not known exactly. Together with the capital Groningen and Winschoten it is one of the three cities in the province of Groningen and located in the northern part of the Netherlands. The name ‘Appingedam’ derived from two hamlets, ‘Appinge’ and ‘Damme’, which formed the later city; although others refer to the river ‘Apt’, in which a ‘dam’ was built. Appingedam’s is quite famous for its hanging kitchens ('hangende keukens') and do attract many visitors. During the Golden Age the city had warehouses along the Damsterdiep. In the 17th century these warehouses were converted into private houses and due to a lack of space white painted kitchens were built over the water of the Damsterdiep. Also very practical, because the housewives could collect the water for cooking directly from the canal and after the washing up they threw the water out of the kitchen window back into the canal. Many of these houses along the Solwerderstraat are still used as private residences. By far the best views of the ‘hanging kitchens’ are from the Vrouwenbrug (Women’s Bridge) over the Damsterdiep.