Groningen, city in the northeastern Netherlands, capital of Groningen Province, on the canalized Hunze River. Groningen, the largest city in the northern region of the country, has a number of canals and is an important port. The principal industries are the production of beet sugar, beer, flax, furniture, bicycles, pianos, and tobacco; a large trade is carried on in cattle, wheat, and oilseed. In addition, many goldsmith, silversmith, and book-printing shops are located in the city. Among the places of interest are Saint Martin's Church (13th to 16th century), the Aa Church (13th century), and the New Church (17th century). In the library of the State University of Groningen (1614) is a copy of the Latin translation of the New Testament by the Dutch humanist Desiderius Erasmus, annotated by the German religious reformer Martin Luther. Groningen is the site of an ancient Roman camp. In 1040 the settlement was granted to the bishop of Utrecht by Henry III, king of Germany. The town was fortified in 1255, and before 1284 it joined the Hanseatic League, a commercial federation of European cities. By the end of the 14th century, power was wrested from the bishop by the rich burghers. The subsequent history of the city parallels that of the country. Population (2000) 172,701.
