Card 6

Check here which way you should have gone

Check here which way you should have gone next

Kleine - en Grote Kromme Elleboog (Small - and Big Bended Elbow):

This is perhaps the strangest street name in Groningen. The Small (and Large) Bended Elbow owes its name to the kink in the street, which apparently immediately reminded the officials of an elbow. 

At the end of this street you will find the street with the name De oude Kijk in 't Jatstraat. A street with many sights, if you like it, take a look at this special street.

De Oude Kijk in ‘t Jatstraat: (The Old Look in the Jatstraat) 

This street owes its name to the fact that in 1672 the city of Groningen was besieged. The fortress of Groningen was defended by Karel van Rabenhaupt. The Reitdiep, which was then still an open sea inlet, or 't Jat, served as an important supply route for food and armaments. From a checkpoint, a guard kept a view of the Reitdiep and ensured that the passage went unimpeded. Every morning when Van Rabenhaupt carried out his inspection, the guard called out to him: “k Kiek nog in t Jat. That is where the name de Oude Kijk in 't Jatstraat comes from. 

Interested in more history of this street? When you walk left from Kleine Kromme Elleboog into the Oude Kijk in 't Jatstraat, you will find the following building in this street at number 26. Don’t forget to continue your route to the Broerstraat (RUG) after this. 

Harmonie gebouw (Harmony building):

Vereniging or Sociëteit de Harmonie was a cultural complex on the Oude Kijk in't Jatstraat in the city of Groningen. Today it is the name for the university complex that was built on the same site. Founded in 1840, the Society still exists and is one of the oldest associations in this province. The original Harmonie was built in 1856. In 1941 the upper floor was damaged by a fire. It never got to a real renovation, but the building had been used for concerts, sports events, exams, exhibitions and parties for years. In 1973 Groningen City Council decided that the complex had to be demolished due to overdue maintenance. The citizens of Groningen were not happy with this but could not stop the demolition. The façade remained intact and was restored by the Voorburg architect Jo Kruger (façadism). The façade is now the front of the building of the University of Groningen, which was inaugurated in 1980.

Statue:

In front of the gates of the Harmony building you will find the statue of the lady who became known as the first woman to be admitted to university. This woman spent the rest of her life fighting for women's suffrage and world peace. Here you can see the statue of Aletta Jacobs, who was born in Sappemeer, a village nearby Groningen, in1854. Jacobs started her studies at the University of Groningen in 1871. This statue was placed on this square in 1988 and was made by sculptress Theresia van der Pant. 

"Please continue your route to the Broerstraat (RUG)!!" 

University of Groningen (RUG): 

This square is the epicentre of the student city of Groningen. It is home to the University Library on the one side and the Academy Building of the University of Groningen (RUG) on the other. The latter building was built in Renaissance style and given its appearance it is impossible to be missed. History teaches us that the first Academy Building dates back to the year 1613. This means that Groningen had one of the first universities in the country. With approximately 35,000 students, the University of Groningen is currently one of the largest Dutch universities. The Academy Building is one of the many locations of the University of Groningen. The building you see here dates from 1909 and was built after the previous academy building was almost completely destroyed by a fire three years earlier. Fortunately, not everything was lost then. With the help of citizens of Groningen, the portraits of professors, the University Archives and the banner of the Voluntary Student Company from the year 1665 were saved from the fire. This banner commemorates an important event in which almost all 120 students of the RUG volunteered to help defend the city against Bommen Berend (Bombs Berend) advancing into the City and surrounding area. Bommen Berend is the nickname of Christoph Bernhard Freiherr von Galen, the bishop of Münster. He lived from 1606 to 1678 and was of the opinion that Groningen and the surrounding area were part of his territory. When the Netherlands was attacked from all sides in 1672, the Bishop saw his chance to “get back” Groningen. He besieged and bombarded the city with bombs which he fired with a cannon. Because of his preference for this weapon, he soon got the popular name: Bommen Berend. On the 28th of August, Bommen Berend was defeated under the command of army commander Carl von Rabenhaupt.