Groningen – Johannes Janssonius, 1657

MID-17TH CENTURY PLAN OF THE CITY OF GRONINGEN

“Groeninga vulgo Groeningen“, published by Johannes Janssonius in 1657. Coloured by a later hand. Size: 41.5 x 51 cm.

Janssonius acquired 363 copper plates from the Cologne publishers Georg Braun and Franz Hogenberg and decided in 1657 to produce his own town book. The copper plates were revised, adapted, and in part newly made; he drew on topographical examples from Matthäus Merian, Jodocus Hondius, and his Amsterdam rival Joan Blaeu. The result was an impressive work in 8 volumes containing over 500 plans of cities from around the world. Most plates were left unsigned.

This map of Groningen is based on a 1637 map by Egbert Haubois, who had been commissioned to depict the major city expansion of 1615–1624.

The verso side offers a wide-ranging humanist portrait of the city:

Groningen is situated on a sandy ridge or elevation between low, marshy grounds, where the rivers Hunze and Aa flow toward the city from Drenthe. The city is said to have originally been narrower, occupying mainly this higher ground, before later expanding into the lower-lying areas on either side. Its location is praised as particularly favourable: the city is easily accessible by land and water alike, and lies in a fertile region of fields and meadows.

Considerable attention is given to the waterways and fortifications. The Aa is described as a navigable waterway that enters the city through vaulted passages beneath the ramparts, runs along the western side, and then joins the Hunze. The Hunze reaches the city from the east, runs along the ramparts, and encloses an important suburb. The author describes the canals, ramparts, and bastions with emphasis on their scale and quality. Particularly following expansions in the early seventeenth century — including in 1615 — the city grew considerably. The new extension was almost as large as the old city itself. According to the text, Groningen was ultimately surrounded by seventeen bulwarks, which placed it among the most strongly fortified cities of its time. It is also noted that the Spanish once built a pentagonal citadel here (the “Arx Nova”), which was demolished by the citizens following the Pacification of Ghent (1576). (The later “Statenkasteel”, which stood from 1600 to 1607, goes unmentioned — presumably because this citadel, built by the States-General, sat awkwardly with the image of Groningen as a free, privileged, and self-confident city.)

According to the author, Groningen had twelve churches: three parish churches, five monastic churches, and four churches attached to almshouses. The most important is the Martini Church, with its fine organ attributed to the scholar Rudolf Agricola. Also mentioned are the Church of St Walburga (already demolished in 1627), the Der Aa-Kerk with its tall tower, the Franciscan friary (demolished in 1894), the Jacobin friary, the “Clarissen Convent” (which seems not have existed), and the Vrouwe Sywen Convent (a house for unmarried noblewomen). Some of the former monastic buildings had by then taken on new functions: the Franciscan friary, for instance, was used as a public Latin school, and another friary served as the residence of the provincial governor (the present-day Prinsenhof).

The urban fabric is described through its markets, streets, and gates. The city has two principal squares: the Brede Markt, beginning at the Martini Church and extending westward, and a second market designated as the fish market. From these squares, numerous main streets lead to the city gates. The Schuitendiep, previously a separate suburb enclosed by its own earthen rampart and canal, had by then been incorporated into the city.

In terms of governance and law, Groningen was a city with a high degree of self-rule. It lived as a free republic, by virtue of extensive privileges and immunities granted and confirmed by its rulers. The city administered justice in both civil and capital cases according to its own laws and customs, with no right of further appeal. Even in capital matters it enjoyed exceptional freedom, including the right to issue letters of pardon or reprieve. It is also noted that Groningen was a member of the Hanseatic League and held special privileges preventing its citizens or residents from being summoned before a foreign or external court. The right of coinage is likewise mentioned: the city had for centuries held the right to mint silver and copper coins, and from 1484 onwards, gold coins as well.

A substantial section is devoted to the Academy of Groningen, founded by the States of the Province in 1614 and formally inaugurated on 23 August — a date that remained associated with the inauguration of the rector. The university was funded from former monastic revenues and was located near the Franciscan friary, quietly situated and removed from the bustle of the city. For less affluent students, a communal table for forty persons was provided; they paid only a portion of the costs, with the remainder covered by the authorities.

The text closes with notable figures from Groningen: the aforementioned Rudolf Agricola, highly praised by Erasmus; Wessel Gansfort, a distinguished philosopher and contemporary of Agricola; and Regnerus Praedinius, author of learned works. The text thus ends with the image of Groningen as not only a strong and prosperous fortified city, but also a city of scholarship, privileges, and civic pride.

Price: Euro 1.450,-