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

In 1464 Jacobus Wilthingh donated his rural estate ‘Apell’ to the Order of the Holy Cross. The construction of the monastery took almost hundred years (1465 - 1561). After the reformation in the Netherlands the latest prior of the monastery of the Holy Cross Brothers became in 1594 the first Protestant clergyman. After the year of 1600 the monastery underwent many changes and some parts were demolished, but a large part of the original buildings remained. Between 1930 and 1933 the remaining parts were preserved and restored by the city of Groningen. Since 1992 it is one of ‘the top 100 Unesco monumental buildings’ in the Netherlands. It houses nowadays a museum of religious art and the history of the monastery. Monastery Ter Apel or as it is called officially: Monastery Domus Novae Lucis (Home of the New Light) has a beautiful setting in the woodlands around the village of Ter Apel. .

The 'Martinitoren' is with its height of 97 metres the most well known and remarkable landmark of the city of Groningen. Originally the church (Martinikerk) had an indoor tower, but after it collapsed a new tower was built (between 1470 and 1550) west of the main church. The inhabitants of Groningen call it ‘d'Olle Grieze’ (Old Grey One) after the colour of the bricks. The 'Martinikerk' got its name from Sint Martinus or Sint Maarten (Saint Martin) and still some murals of him as well as others can be seen in the choir of the church. These beautiful paintings are dating back to the year of 1545. The ceiling has a warm blue colour. The nave of the church is really impressive and has one of the biggest baroque organs in northern Europe. The construction of this organ started already in 1480 and was finished in the 19th century.

Church of Schildwolde (Kerk van Schildwolde) dates from the 17th century. The present church was built on the foundations of an older church from the 13th century. The Reformed church is a simple aisle less church built of brick, which is plastered. The church was consecrated in 1686. The most striking part of the complex is the detached bell tower, dating back at least to the year 1289 and once belonging to the former church. The roof of the spire is not made of roof tiles, but entirely built in brick. The tower has a height of 46 metres. The tower in Schildwolde is one of the two remaining so called ‘juffertorens’ (‘damsel towers’) in the province of Groningen. There is a legend about the ‘juffertorens’, saying: once there were three very rich but 'sinful' sisters (the ‘damsels') who thought only of their appearance. They regretted their sins and promised they would each build a tower as penance for their sins. But most probably the name ‘juffertoren’ is less prosaic: this kind of narrow tapering church towers were called after a ‘juffer’, which in Dutch also is a long tapering pine trunk.

The Menkemaborg* in Uithuizen is a 14th-century, brick-built country house, which was substantially altered around 1700; since then it has since barely been changed. Nowadays, being part of a museum, the borg is open for public. *In the Dutch province of Groningen a 'borg' is a former stronghold or estate house, surrounded by moats and gardens.

The oldest part of the Dutch Reformed Church of Uithuizermeeden is dating back to the 13th century. The white walls were plastered in the 19th century. The church tower (Meister Toren) was renewed in 1717, commissioned by Onno Tamminga of Alberda, lord at the nearby Rensumaborg. After a fire at the end of the 19th century the tower was rebuilt in its original form. The remarkable white and blue tower has a height of 48,5 metres. The church has a beautiful interior and a Hinz organ, which was consecrated in 1785.

The present windmill 'De Vier Winden' (The Four Winds) is dating back to 1846. The mill is still used as a flour mill, but nowadays operated by volunteers.

Borg* or castle Verhildersum, main building with the moat. The borg is surrounded by beautiful gardens. *In the Dutch province of Groningen a 'borg' is a former stronghold or estate house, surrounded by moats and gardens.

Windmolen De Lelie’ (windmill the Lily), dates back to 1862. It is a so called smock mill. More info about the mill (Dutch): www.molendatabase.nl/nederland/molen.php?nummer=317