Academiegebouw

A strange and wonderful little museum located just off Oude Kijk in 't Jatstraat. Temporary exhibitions, often of a technological bent, are held on the first floor; upstairs (past an elaborate stained-glass window in the stairwell) is an eclectic collection in the Victorian style, with everything from anatomical specimens and taxidermied animals to early scientific instruments.

This beautifully decorated building on the edge of the Grote Markt is hard to miss. It was built in 1635 as the office for the city receiver. The words Date Caesari quae sunt Caesaris, Latin for "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's", still remind of this early function of the building. Later, between 1814 and 1887, it served as a gold office in the sense that this was the place where gold and silver works were authenticated and marked as real. Today, it's a café.

This beautiful medieval church with its remarkable yellow-painted tower stands tall above the neighbouring Korenbeurs. Established between 1425 and 1492, the church's tower was repeatedly destroyed and replaced, with the current one originating in 1711. The building is no longer used for religious services but is open for visitors and regularly houses expositions.

One of the most important hotspots in Groningen refers to Saint Martin of Tours, the patron saint of the Bishopric of Utrecht. Locals call the tower d' Olle Grieze which means 'the old grey one' and is related to its colour. Tickets are available in the VVV (tourist information) shop just over the road. There is a wide view over the city from the top of the tower. It was built as a cruciform church in the 13th century, and was extended in the 15th and 16th centuries. Much of the wall and roof paintwork has been preserved. Of particular note is a 16th-century depiction of the life of Jesus Christ.

The northern museum of water transport. Shows the history and role of transport over water until the 1970s. The museum is situated in the oldest residential building remaining in the city. Not accessible with a wheelchair or rollator.

The Martinikerkhof used to be a cemetery, but since 1828 it is no longer in use. The cemetery has been transformed into a beautiful square, an oasis of peace. Prominent on the Martinikerkhof is the Martini Church. On the east side of the square stands the 'Provinciehuis', the seat of the provincial government. The front of this beautiful building was built in the end of the 20th century, while the rear of the building dates back to the Middle Ages. At that time the building was used as a Latin School. The north side of the square is marked by nice old houses and the Prinsenhof. At the square stands the Saint George and the Dragon Memorial (Sint Joris en de Draak Monument), the official provincial Second World War memorial. The memorial has been made in remembrance of the whole loss and suffering in the city of Groningen.