Prinsentuin Groningen - Sights

The Prinsentuin in Groningen was laid out in 1626 as a residential garden for the princes of Nassau, who stayed in the nearby Prinsenhof. The garden is one of the purest examples of a Renaissance garden in the Netherlands and offers tranquility in the middle of the busy city center of Groningen. The garden is completely walled and has a rose garden, herb garden and beautiful berceaus. The Sundial Gate opens onto the garden, and above the sundial is a Latin text that translates as "The past time is nothing, the future uncertain, the present shaky. Be careful not to waste yours."

The Prinsentuin is located behind the Prinsenhof hotel, where the Princes of Nassau have stayed since the late 16th century when they were in the area. The garden was laid out in the 17th century by stadtholder Willem Frederik and his wife Albertine Agnes. The garden had fallen into disrepair over the years, but in the 20th century the current garden was created based on old drawings. The garden is freely accessible and has a tearoom that is open in good weather. The Poets in the Prinsentuin festival takes place here every year, where well-known and unknown poets from the Netherlands and Flanders read from their own work.