Grote Markt Groningen Webcam – Watch the City’s Main Square

The Grote Markt Groningen Webcam watches the main square of Groningen, the largest city in the north of the Netherlands, through two live cameras run by Bouwwebcam.nl. The main camera sits above a row of cafe terraces and moves between preset views: the umbrellas and tables directly below, the trees planted in 2024, the brick fronts across the paving and, on its widest setting, the lower stages of the Martinitoren. The second tab is mounted on the Martinitoren itself and looks south-west over the whole square to the columned City Hall. On a sunny afternoon the terraces fill up and cyclists cut across the open paving.

What the Grote Markt Groningen Webcam Shows

The main camera can pan and zoom, so its framing changes through the day. On its lowest preset it looks down into a cafe terrace, with the new tree beds to the left and a brick building with green awnings on the far side of the square. A wider preset looks across the paving to a row of post-war offices, one with an ABN AMRO sign and two flagpoles on its roof, with the dark Gothic base of the Martinitoren at the right edge. The Martinitoren tab takes in the whole square at once: the City Hall with its portico at the top of the frame, older gabled houses along the left, flat-roofed modern blocks on the right and the trees in a loose grid in the middle.

About the Grote Markt in Groningen

The Grote Markt is the central square of Groningen, a university city of about 245,000 people. The Martinitoren stands at its north-eastern corner, 96.8 meters (318 feet) tall. Building began in 1469 and the tower was finished in 1482, although its steeple was only completed in the middle of the 16th century. Locals call it d’Olle Grieze, the old grey one, and it holds a carillon of 62 bells. On the west side stands the neoclassical City Hall, completed in 1810, with the Goudkantoor of 1635 behind it.

Much of what surrounds the square is younger than it looks. During the liberation of Groningen in April 1945, the north and east sides were almost completely destroyed by fire, partly set by German troops and partly caused by Canadian shelling. The post-war plan moved the eastern building line back 17 meters (56 feet) to open up the view of the Martinitoren, and the new blocks went up in a plain modernist style. From 2014 the east side was rebuilt again on its pre-war line, and Forum Groningen, a 45 meter (148 foot) cultural center, opened just behind it in 2019.

The paving is new as well. A redesign finished on June 1, 2024 gave the square a wind rose pattern set into the stones, water features, kiosks and terraces around its edges, and 24 trees that were already about 40 years old when they went in: ten Japanese pagoda trees and fourteen honey locusts. Rainwater is stored underground to water them.

Weather and Climate in Groningen

Groningen has a mild, damp maritime climate, measured at Groningen Airport Eelde south of the city. July afternoons average about 23 C (73 F), with nights near 12 C (54 F), and that is when the terraces under the main camera stay full into the evening. Spring and autumn both reach around 14 C (58 F) by day, while nights average 4 C (39 F) in April and 6 C (43 F) in October. In autumn the low afternoon sun throws the City Hall’s long shadow across the middle of the square on the tower view.

Winter is grey more often than white. January averages 5 C (41 F) by day and just under freezing at night, and the station records some snow on around 31 days a year. Rain is spread across all twelve months, about 805 millimeters (31.7 inches) in total, against roughly 1,680 hours of sunshine a year.

Things to Do Near the Grote Markt

At the Martinitoren itself, a brick spiral staircase of 260 steps leads up to a view over the city and the flat countryside around it. The Martinikerk beside it stands on the site of the city’s first church. Behind the City Hall, the city’s main goods market fills the Vismarkt and the A-Kerkhof on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with the Der Aa-kerk rising over its western end.

The University of Groningen, founded in 1614 and the second oldest in the Netherlands, has its Academy Building a few streets north of the square, and its roughly 31,000 students give the center its young crowd. Further out, the Groninger Museum stands in the canal opposite the central station, and the Noorderplantsoen park and the Prinsenhof garden behind the Martinikerk make a quieter break from the cafes.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

If you like watching a historic square from above, these cameras are a good next stop.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Grote Markt in Groningen?

The Grote Markt is the central square of Groningen, the capital of the province of the same name in the far north of the Netherlands. The Martinitoren stands at its north-eastern corner and the City Hall on its west side, with the Vismarkt directly behind it.

What can you see on the Grote Markt Groningen Webcam?

Two cameras. The main one moves between cafe terraces directly below it, the tree beds, brick fronts across the square and, on its widest view, the base of the Martinitoren. The Martinitoren tab looks down on the whole square, with the City Hall at the top of the frame.

Is there a live webcam on the Martinitoren?

Yes. The second tab on this page is mounted on the Martinitoren and looks south-west across the Grote Markt to the City Hall. It shows the square rather than the tower, so for the tower itself use the main camera’s widest preset.

Does the webcam show the Vismarkt or Groningen station?

No. The Vismarkt lies behind the City Hall, which hides it from both cameras, and the central station is further south on the far side of the old center. Neither camera shows the market stalls or any trains.

What is the weather like in Groningen?

Mild and changeable. Summer afternoons average about 23 C (73 F) and winter days about 5 C (41 F). Rain falls in every month, about 805 millimeters (31.7 inches) a year.

Does it snow in Groningen?

Sometimes. The weather station at Groningen Airport Eelde records some snow on around 31 days a year, but with January nights only just under freezing, a cold snap is what it takes to turn the square white.

What events are held on the Grote Markt in Groningen?

The square has hosted the Meikermis funfair in spring, and every 28 August it is part of the city’s Gronings Ontzet commemorations. On other days the terraces and kiosks around its edges keep it lively.

Can you climb the Martinitoren?

Yes. The tower is one of Groningen’s main sights and is open to visitors, who climb 260 steps for a view over the city and the surrounding countryside.

Source: Bouwwebcam.nl