The Hunze (also Oostermoerse Vaart , Oostermoersche Vaart , Drentsche Diep and Schuyten diep ) is a river located in the border area of Drenthe and Groningen , east of the Hondsrug , in the Netherlands . The Hunze used to run through to the Wadden Sea , first at Pieterburen and later at Zoutkamp , via the Lauwerszee .
66-518: The name means "marsh or mud (stream)". The name of the area, Hunsingo , refers to this river, which originally flowed into the Wadden Sea. The Hunze valley probably formed in the Saale Glaciation (the penultimate ice age; 236,000 to 124,000 B.C.) during the last phase of the hif period , when the ice flow of the land ice changed direction from northeast-southwest to northwest-southeast. Possibly
132-421: A maritime museum , a university museum , a comics museum and a graphics museum. Groningen is also the home of Noorderlicht , an international photographic platform that runs a photo gallery and organizes an international photo festival. The Forum Groningen that opened in 2019 is a cultural center consisting of a museum, art cinema, library, bars, rooftop terrace and tourist information office. Groningen has
198-618: A red-light district , called Nieuwstad . FC Groningen , founded in 1971, is the local football club, and as of 2000 they play in the Eredivisie , the highest football league of the Netherlands. Winners of the KNVB Cup in the 2014–15 season , their best Eredivisie result was in the 1990–91 season when they finished third. Their current stadium which opened in January 2006 has 22,525 seats. It
264-497: A bicycle for regular commute within the city. In 2000, Groningen was chosen as the Fietsstad 2002 , the top cycle-city in the Netherlands for 2002. Similar to most Dutch cities , Groningen has developed to accommodate a large number of cyclists. An extensive network of bike paths were planned to make it more convenient to cycle to various destinations instead of taking a car. The city has segregated cycle-paths, public transport, and
330-909: A city theatre called the Stadsschouwburg, located on the Turfsingel, a theatre and concert venue called Martini Plaza, and a cultural venue on the Trompsingel, called the Oosterpoort. Vera is located on the Oosterstraat, the Grand Theatre on the Grote Markt, and Simplon on the Boterdiep . Several cafés feature live music, a few of which specialize in jazz music, including the Jazzcafe De Spieghel on
396-539: A former Dutch colony. It was named after the hometown of Dutch governor-general of Suriname Jan Wichers , who established the town as a fort in 1790. Numerous canals ( grachten ) surround the city, locally called diep . The major canals that travel from the city are the Van Starkenborghkanaal, Eemskanaal, and Winschoterdiep. Groningen’s canals, no longer used for commercial goods transport, were once vital hubs in trade and transport. The rivers crossing close to
462-449: A large pedestrianised zone in the city centre. Groningen's city centre was remodeled into a "pedestrian priority zone" to promote walking and biking. This was achieved by applying the principle of filtered permeability —the network configuration favours active transportation and selectively "filters out" traveling in a car by reducing the number of streets that run through the centre. The streets that are discontinuous for cars connect to
528-602: A million inhabitants. Groningen is nationally known as the "Metropolis of the North". The city is regarded as the main urban centre of the Northern part of the country, particularly in the fields of education, business, music and other arts. It is also known as " Martinistad ", referring to the tower of the Martinitoren , which is named after Groningen's patron saint Martin of Tours . The large student population also contributes to
594-470: A network of pedestrian and bike paths which permeate the entire centre. In addition, these paths go through public squares and open spaces, increasing aesthetic appeal and encouraging participation. The logic of filtering a mode of transport is fully expressed in a comprehensive model for laying out neighbourhoods and districts—the fused grid . Groningen railway station (in Dutch: Hoofdstation )
660-456: A short time held their own meetings. The area is largely similar to the Hoogeland region although that is more a geographical indication, while Hunsingo was an administrative unit. The three Wadden islands of Rottumerplaat , Rottumeroog and Zuiderduintjes belong to this area. Like Fivelingo, Hunsingo was originally a Frisian region. Ludger was assigned in 787 the mission areas including
726-546: A swamp (fed by streams) arose on the site of the Hunze. However, evidence for this is as yet lacking. Over time, the river was reduced to a stream valley no more than a few kilometers wide. In the 14th century, the northern arm towards Hiddingezijl [ nl ; zh-min-nan ] was diked off and only the western arm remained, which in the course of time was excavated to become the Reitdiep [ fr ; nl ] . Particularly on
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#1732854654902792-458: A total population of 232,874 people. The majority of people in Groningen, slightly more than 70%, are non-religious. With 25.1%, the largest religion in Groningen is Christianity . Religions in Groningen (2013) The municipality of Groningen has grown rapidly. In 1968 it expanded by mergers with Hoogkerk and Noorddijk, and in 2019 it merged with Haren and Ten Boer. All historical data are for
858-580: A western part. The various districts were characterized by considerable autonomy, the joint representatives gathered in Onderdendam, that was exactly on the border of the main subdivisions. In 1659 a new classification was ordered by the States General: Between 1830 and 1880, 5,900 people emigrated from Hunsingo, almost all going to the United States. This was two-thirds of all emigrations from
924-542: Is a region in the province of Groningen , Netherlands , between the Reitdiep and Maarvliet . Hunsingo was one of three Ommelanden . It is bordered to the north by the Wadden Sea , to the east Fivelingo , in the west to the Westerkwartier and Friesland and in the south, Gorecht . The region corresponds to the current municipalities De Marne , Eemsmond , the majority of the municipalities of Bedum and Winsum and
990-642: Is about 800 mm (31 in). Annual sunshine hours vary, but are usually below 1600 hours, giving much cloud cover similar to most of the Netherlands. Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is " Cfb ". (Marine West Coast Climate/ Oceanic climate ). Winters are cool; on average above freezing, although frosts are common during spells of easterly winds. Night-time temperatures of −10 °C (14 °F) or lower are not uncommon during cold winter periods. The lowest temperature ever recorded
1056-601: Is called the Hitachi Capital Mobility Stadion ; it was known as the "Euroborg stadium" before 2016, and "Noordlease Stadion" from 2016 to 2018. American sports are fairly popular in Groningen; it has American football , baseball , and basketball clubs. Groningen's professional basketball club Donar play in the highest professional league, the Dutch Basketball League , and have won the national championship seven times. The Groningen Giants are
1122-476: Is that the name was derived from the word groenighe , meaning 'green fields'. In Frisian , it is called Grins . In Groningen province , it is called Groot Loug [ nl ] . Regionally, it is often simply referred to as Stad (the "city"), and its inhabitants are referred to as Stadjers or Stadjeder . The Dutch sometimes refer to it as "the Metropolis of the North", or Martinistad (after
1188-843: Is the second oldest university in the Netherlands (after the University of Leiden ). The university educated the country's first female student, Aletta Jacobs , the first Dutch national astronaut, Wubbo Ockels , the first president of the European Central Bank , Wim Duisenberg , and two Nobel laureates ; Heike Kamerlingh Onnes (in Physics) and Ben Feringa (in Chemistry). The university has about 31,000 students—22% of which are international. The Hanze University of Applied Sciences (in Dutch: Hanzehogeschool Groningen )
1254-467: Is −26.8 °C (−16.2 °F) on 16 February 1956. Snow often falls, but rarely stays long due to warmer daytime temperatures, although white snowy days happen every winter. Hotel and catering industries constitute a significant part of the economy in Groningen. Focus on business services has increased over time and areas such as IT, life sciences, tourism, energy, and environment have developed. Until 2008 there were two major sugar refineries within
1320-465: The Martinitoren tower.) The city was founded at the northernmost point of the Hondsrug area. While the oldest document referring to Groningen's existence dates from 1040, the area was occupied by Anglo-Saxons centuries prior. The oldest archaeological evidence of a settlement in the region stems from around 3950–3650 BC, and the first major settlement in Groningen trace back to the year 3 AD. In
1386-548: The 2022 local elections , was made up as follows: From 2022, the ruling municipal coalition consisted of GroenLinks, PvdA, Party for the Animals, the Socialist Party and ChristenUnie. Groningen is twinned with the following cities: Groningen also has a trilateral partnership with the nearby northern German cities of Bremen and Oldenburg. Groningen is known as the "World Cycling City"; around 57% of its residents use
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#17328546549021452-590: The Drentsche Aa through a valley that cut through the Besloten Venen. Originally, the river meandered through this swampy area. This marshy terrain is the reason why there is actually no location in Drenthe that directly borders the old Hunzeboezem, even though the small river near Gasselternijveen and Spijkerboor comes very close to both villages. This proximity is likely the result of rerouting and straightening
1518-517: The Drentsche Aa . Around the year 1400, the Hunze was dammed at Roodehaan and redirected through the newly dug Schuitendiep to Groningen . A portion of it was later used for the dug Winschoterdiep . This gave the city direct access to the peat areas in East Groningen , enabling it to control the turf trade. The extension of the Schuitendiep within the city is appropriately named Turfsingel ,
1584-836: The Dutch Republic . During the 17th century, Groningen served as a crucial hub for the Dutch West India Company (WIC). This powerful trading company was responsible for maritime trade, colonization, and the transportation of goods and people. The WIC transported over 300,000 slaves from the African coast to the Dutch colonies between 1621 and 1792. Warships like the Groeningen sailed from Groningen’s shipyards to Africa’s west coast, carrying enslaved Africans to plantations in Brazil, Suriname, and
1650-598: The French era . Today Groningen is a university city, home to some of the country's leading higher education institutes; University of Groningen ( Rijksuniversiteit Groningen ), which is the Netherlands's second oldest university, and Hanze University of Applied Sciences ( Hanzehogeschool Groningen ). Students comprise an estimated 25% of its total population and makes it the country's demographically youngest city. The origin and meaning of 'Groningen' and its older variant, 'Groeningen', are uncertain. A folk origin story relates
1716-563: The Netherlands . Dubbed the "capital of the north", Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of the northern part of the country; as of December 2021, it had 235,287 inhabitants, making it the sixth largest city/municipality in the Netherlands and the second largest outside the Randstad . Groningen was established more than 950 years ago and gained city rights in 1245. Due to its relatively isolated location from
1782-512: The Third Anglo-Dutch War failed and the city walls resisted; an event that is celebrated annually with music and fireworks on 28 August as " Gronings Ontzet " or " Bommen Berend " ("Bombing Bernard"). In the early 19th century when the kingdom of Holland under king Jerôme Bonaparte was founded, Groningen was integrated into the French system of administration, and then annexed in 1811 into
1848-647: The Westerbroekstermadepolder north of the Zuidlaardermeer . Additionally, on both sides of the Euvelgunnerweg , thanks in part to the late farmer Thies Dijkhuis, the Hunzezone has been established as a green area between two industrial zones, preserving the existing Hunzeloop. In 2014, Hunzevisie (Hunzevision) 2030 was presented. This plan also expressed the ambition to allow the Hunze to flow back into
1914-586: The Winschoterdiep and the Damsterdiep , the river had silted up significantly, making it difficult to recognize it as such. North of the (old) city of Groningen , the Hunze is called the Selwerderdiepje . From Wierumerschouw, the Reitdiep , starting in the mid-17th century, became the largely straightened lower course of the Hunze. The section from Groningen to Wierumerschouw is the excavated lower course of
1980-458: The 13th century Groningen was an important trade centre and its inhabitants built a city wall to underline its authority. The city had a strong influence on its surrounding lands and the Gronings dialect became common. The city's most influential period was at the end of the 15th century, when the nearby province of Friesland was administered from Groningen. During these years the Martinitoren
2046-496: The American football team of the city who play in the premier league of the AFBN and are nicknamed as the "Kings of the North". The running event called 4 Miles of Groningen takes place in the city on the second Sunday of October every year with over 23,000 participants. The 2002 Giro d'Italia began in Groningen, including the prologue and the start of the first stage. The city hosted
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2112-466: The Antilles. These same ships returned to Europe laden with valuable commodities such as sugar, coffee, and tobacco. The University of Groningen was founded in 1614 with initial course offerings in law, medicine, theology and philosophy. During this period the city expanded rapidly and a new city wall was built. The Siege of Groningen (1672) led by the bishop of Münster , Bernhard von Galen during
2178-546: The Binnenstad have been used for trade for at least a thousand years . The Dutch West India Company and foreign investors established their Groningen headquarters in Reitemakersrijge. Additional warehouses were strategically built along the canals at Noorderhaven to store colonial produce. These warehouses often held goods obtained from plantations in the Dutch colonies. Groningen has an oceanic temperate climate, like all of
2244-700: The French Empire under emperor Napoleon I (until 1813). During the French administration of the area, Groningen was called Groningue . During World War II , the main square and the Grote Markt were largely destroyed in the Battle of Groningen in April 1945. However, the church Martinitoren , the Goudkantoor , and the city hall were undamaged. There is a town named after Groningen in Saramacca District , Suriname .
2310-761: The Hunze. The Hunze begins east of Gasselte and west of Drouwenerveen , where the Voorste and Achterste Diepje meet. The Voorste Diep is one of the water gaps that cut through the Hondsrug. From that point to the Zuidlaardermeer, it is also referred to as the Oostermoerschevaart, named after the Oostermoer dike. The term 'moer' indicates marsh and fen . West of the Zuidlaarderdiep, the Hunze used to be connected to
2376-553: The Netherlands, although slightly colder in winter than other major cities in the Netherlands due to its northeasterly position. Weather is influenced by the North Sea to the north-west and its prevailing north-western winds and gales. Summers are somewhat warm and humid. Temperatures of 30 °C (86 °F) or higher occur sporadically; the average daytime high is around 22 °C (72 °F). Very rainy periods are common, especially in spring and summer. Average annual precipitation
2442-483: The Peperstraat. Groningen is the host city for Eurosonic Noorderslag , an annual music showcase event for bands from across Europe. Groningen's active nightlife depends largely on its student population, with the Grote Markt, Vismarkt, Poelestraat and Peperstraat crowded nightly, most bars not closing until five in the morning. From 2005 to 2007, Groningen was named "best city centre" of the Netherlands. Groningen has
2508-560: The Saalian and subsequent periods, including the Eemian (until 114,000 BC; an interglacial period) and the Weichselian (until 9,700 BC), a significant portion of the valley was predominantly filled with sand. The Eemian (between 124,000 and 114,000 B.C.) is seen as the period when probably either the river system of the Hunze (main stream with supplying tributary streams) was formed or the time when
2574-621: The USSR, was the first time the Soviet Union had sent a team to a foreign event. An international chess "Schaakfestival Groningen tournament" has been held in the city in most years since 1946. Groningen is home to the Groninger Museum . Its new building designed by Alessandro Mendini in 1994 echoes the Italian post-modern concepts and is notable for its futuristic and colourful style. The city has
2640-731: The Wadden Sea near Pieterburen and a western branch (later part of the Reitdiep) which flowed into the Lauwerszee near Zoutkamp. In 1995, the Groninger landscape, the Drentse landscape, and the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) developed the plan, Hunzevisie , with the aim of restoring nature in the Hunze Valley and reconstructing the original river course as much as possible. The province of Drenthe and
2706-550: The Wadden Sea. In 2023, the municipality of Groningen also presented a Hunze Vision, aligning with the desire of other parties to restore the river's connection to the Wadden Sea. Groningen envisions a series of projects spanning a total of 30 years. The intention is for anyone wishing to develop or build in the Hunze area to incorporate river restoration into their plans. 53°11′01″N 6°39′18″E / 53.1836°N 6.6550°E / 53.1836; 6.6550 Hunsingo Hunsingo ( Gronings : Hunzego or Hunzengo)
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2772-630: The city. The Suiker Unie plant was constructed in the outskirts of Groningen, but became a part of the city due to expansion. The factory had 98 employees before it was closed in 2008 due to a reduction in demand. As of 2017, CSM Vierverlaten in Hoogkerk remains the only beet sugar production plant in the city. Other notable companies from Groningen include publishing company Noordhoff Uitgevers , tobacco company Niemeyer , health insurance company Menzis, distillery Hooghoudt , and natural gas companies GasUnie and GasTerra . As of 2020, Groningen had
2838-404: The cutout was caused by an ice lobe. It was previously thought that this occurred later and that the valley was created by meltwater runoff. However, the presence of depressions and the steep straight boundary on the west side of the Hunze Valley make this illogical. Later, the valley did serve to drain meltwater. The valley originally had a width of 15 kilometers and a depth of 50 meters. During
2904-432: The east side of the city of Groningen, parts were excavated to realize a better drainage and waterborne transport. From the middle of the 18th century on, the valley was further narrowed by land reclamation. In the 20th century, the water was canalized in many places by cutting off meanders and digging sections. At the beginning of the 21st century, parts were transformed into nature reserves, with plans to partially remold
2970-601: The eastern side of the Selwerderhof cemetery. North of the Van Starkenborghkanaal , the contours of the clay area around Adorp are still visible. From there, the river meandered northward, and the old meanders can still be identified, such as the bocht van Hekkum (bend of Hekkum) and the Oude Diepje (Old Deep). At the later Schouwerzijl , the river split into a northern branch (see: Kromme Raken ) which flowed into
3036-524: The entire province of Groningen. Most of the emigrants from Hunsingo ended up in western Michigan , followed by Chicago and a smaller group going to Lafayette, Indiana . Hunsingo was also the name of the water authority in the area, charged with the management of water levels, canals, dykes and storm barriers. The Hunsingo water board existed from 1856 to 1994 when it was merged into the Noorderzijlvest water board. In Hunsingo, many borg (fortified great houses) were found. This does not imply that there
3102-399: The fief of the county. In the eleventh century, coins were minted in Winsum, which suggests that Winsum was the capital of the region. In later times Onderdendam became the central place of the region. The population always spoke an East Frisian , but, by uniting the city of Groningen with the surrounding district, East Frisian has merged with Low Saxon (Platduuts) of the city, although
3168-416: The former municipality of Middelstum . The name means area (go or gau ) of the Hunze River . The Hunze no longer exists after the construction of the Reitdiep canal. Originally the Hunze followed a different course with its mouth at Pieterburen on the Wadden Sea, and divided Hunsingo into two parts. Hunsingo was the first member of the Ommelander Union. The main town was Winsum where the Ommelanden for
3234-399: The idea that, in 453 BC, exiles from Troy who were guided by a mythical figure called Gruno (or Grunius, Gryns or Grunus), along with a group of Phrygians from Germany, founded a settlement in what is now Groningen, and built a castle on the bank of the Hunze , which they called 'Grunoburg', and which was later destroyed by the Vikings. One modern theory is that 'Groningen' meant 'among
3300-416: The language of the surrounding countryside still retains a strong East Frisian substrate. In the 13th century laws were recorded in Latin or in the Hunsingoer dialect of East Frisian. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Hunsingo was the first member of the Ommelander Union. The most important place in Hunsingo, Winsum, was for a brief period where the Ommelander jonkers held their meetings. Winsum
3366-401: The municipalities of Aa en Hunze, Borger-Odoorn, and Tynaarlo are jointly restoring the old meanders of the Hunze in the Drenthe part of the small river. During this work, the remains of an old floodgate were found near the hamlet of De Hilte [ nl ; pl ; zh-min-nan ] in October 2014. In Groningen, examples of realized nature reserves include the Kropswolderbuitenpolder and
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#17328546549023432-434: The original city limits, excluding Hoogkerk, Noorddijk, Haren and Ten Boer. It has a land area of 168.93 km (65.22 sq mi), and a total area, including water, of 180.21 km (69.58 sq mi). Its population density is 1,367 residents per km (3,540 per square mile). On 1 January 2019, it was merged with the municipalities of Ten Boer and Haren . The Groningen-Assen metropolitan area has about half
3498-482: The original meanders near these villages. At Meerwijck , where the Hunze exits the north side of the Zuidlaardermeer, there is a bicycle and foot ferry. From this point onward, the river is known as the Drentsche Diep, flowing through the Westerbroekstermadepolder nature reserve, as it crosses from the province of Drenthe into the province of Groningen. It ultimately joins the Winschoterdiep at Waterhuizen [ fr ; nl ; pl ; zh-min-nan ] . Between
3564-432: The people of Groni' ('Groningi' and 'Groninga' in the 11th century), derived from Gronesbeke , which was the old name for a small lake near the Hunze (on the northern border of Zuidlaarderveen ). As the name Grone (variant Groene) is an old Frisian personal name, the origin may very well be in a settlement originally founded by the family of Grone and their followers, which in Frisian would be called Groninga. Another theory
3630-452: The region Humsterland (Westerkwartier); however, the emergence of the Reitdiep and the exploitation of the underlying peat led to it becoming a separate seenddistrict. The district, Middag, is also recognized in Westerkwartier since the sixteenth century. The peat area of Innersdijk (around Bedum) was separated from the Oosterambt around the fourteenth century, while De Marne in the fifteenth century temporarily disintegrated into an eastern and
3696-421: The regions of Hugmerthi (Humsterland), Hunusga and Fivilga. The monastery of Fulda received in the ninth century a donation in Middelstum "in pago Hunergewe in regione fresonum". In 1057 the region of "Hunsingo" is mentioned as part of a county donated by the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV , under the regency of his mother, to the Archbishop of Hamburg, Adalbert . Before that, the Saxon noble house of Brunonen had
3762-426: The sea near the dikes (endiking). This area above the old dikes is also known as the Groningen Hogeland (high land). When the new deposits had reached sufficient size, that area was then secured by the construction of a new dyke. Today Hunsingo is one of the main economic arteries of Groningen. This is due to the Eemshaven on the eastern point and the Lauwersmeer National Park and shrimping village of Zoutkamp on
3828-403: The start and finish of the fifth stage of the 2013 Energiewacht Tour . As of 2020, around 25% of the 230,000 inhabitants in Groningen are students. The city has the highest density of students and the lowest mean age in the Netherlands. There are also Middle Schools, such as H.N. Werkman College The University of Groningen (in Dutch: Rijksuniversiteit Groningen ), established in 1614
3894-459: The storage place for peat . On aerial photos and in certain areas of the landscape, the old river valley can still be recognized. The river flowed from Waterhuizen [ fr ; nl ; pl ; zh-min-nan ] to Oosterhoogebrug and can still be traced, for instance, near Oude Roodehaan . In the city of Groningen, two large bends of the old course are still discernible between Ooster - and Noorderhoogebrug . Structures are also still found on
3960-407: The then successive Dutch centres of power ( Utrecht , The Hague , Brussels ), Groningen was historically reliant on itself and nearby regions. As a Hanseatic city, it was part of the North German trade network, but later it mainly became a regional market centre. At the height of its power in the 15th century, Groningen could be considered an independent city-state and it remained autonomous until
4026-411: The very diverse cultural scene for a city of its size. Since 2016 Groningen has been host of the International Cycling Film Festival , an annual film festival for bicycle related films. It takes place in the art house cinema of the old Roman Catholic Hospital. The first major international chess tournament after World War II was held in Groningen in 1946. The tournament, won by Mikhail Botvinnik of
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#17328546549024092-463: The western point. The shrimp company Heiploeg is located in Zoutland. This is the largest shrimp supplier in Europe. Groningen Groningen ( / ˈ ɡ r oʊ n ɪ ŋ ə n / GROH -ning-ən , UK also / ˈ ɡ r ɒ n ɪ ŋ ə n / GRON -ing-ən , Dutch: [ˈɣroːnɪŋə(n)] ; Gronings : Grunn or Grunnen [ˈχrʏnn̩] ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen province in
4158-409: Was built which is considered to be the city's most significant landmark. In 1536, Groningen accepted Emperor Charles V , the King of Spain and the Habsburg ruler of the other Netherlands as its ruler, thus ending the region's autonomy. The city was captured in the Siege of Groningen (1594) by the Dutch and English forces led by Maurice of Nassau . After the siege, the city and the province joined
4224-469: Was founded in 1986 and is more focused on the practical application of knowledge, offering bachelor and master courses in fields like Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Communication and Multimedia Design, and Renewable Energy. With around 8.1% international students, Hanze hosts more than 28,000 students and is one of the largest universities of applied sciences by enrollment in the Netherlands. The Groningen municipal council has 45 members which, after
4290-424: Was more nobility in Hunsingo than in the remainder of Groningen. Many of the borgs were destroyed, both by officials and by the dissatisfied people. A famous borg in Hunsingo is the Menkemaborg at Uithuizen. Another is Verhildersum at Leens. Hunsingo is characterized by meadows, mounds and dikes. Hunsingo has expanded by reclaiming land that initially is filled in by the natural settlement of sedimentary clay by
4356-408: Was originally therefore a settlement with an urban character. The proximity of the city of Groningen, however, did not allow it the opportunity to become a real city. The region was originally divided into two or three subdistricts, which coincided with the oldest seenddistricts ( sees or mother parishes). Of these the parishes of Usquert and Leens were the oldest: De Marne was originally part of
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