Prinsentuin

Behind the Prinsenhof, the former residence of the stadtholders of Groningen, lies a small yet stunning courtyard garden. This Renaissance-style garden features hedges that spell out the letters W, for stadtholder Willem Frederik, and A, for Albertine Agnes of Nassau. Additionally, it has an herb garden, a rose garden, and an arched walkway (a type of tunnel made of hedges). A photo of this arched walkway was even used as the album cover for Don McLean’s "Botanical Gardens" (known for "American Pie"). The beauty of this garden has certainly not gone unnoticed. 

The garden was laid out in 1626 by order of the then-stadtholder Ernst Casimir of Nassau-Dietz, an important military commander during the Eighty Years' War. After falling into disrepair from the 19th century, the garden was restored between 1935 and 1938 according to a map from 1632. In 1731, a sundial was added above the gate at Turfsingel, made by artists and mathematicians Gerrit Stevens Cremer and Jan Luijt Doornbusch. This sundial shows the local time, which, depending on the month, is 18 to 54 minutes ahead of Central European Time, and in summer time, nearly two hours ahead. Two stone plaques explain how to read the Babylonian and Italian hours. At the top, there is a Latin phrase that translates to: "The past time is nothing, the future uncertain, the present unstable. Make sure you don't waste yours." 

You can spend your time here every day from 10:00 to 18:00. The garden is accessible from outside the Prinsenhof via the gate at Turfsingel or the side entrance from Kattenhage. Additionally, the annual poetry festival "Dichters in de Prinsentuin" takes place here. 

(Photograph: Roelof Bos)