Christmas #8 - Groningen Christmas tree

The Grote Markt is the central square in the city of Groningen, with the Martinitoren or St Martin's Tower on the right. Note that 10,000 lights shine in this year's Christmas tree!

Shopping for Christmas in the Herestraat, earlier today.

Martin's Tower entrance

Taken from the same spot as yesterday´s photo, this view shows the entrance of the Martin's Tower and the restaurant terrace next to it.

The Old Grey One

I have showed you several photos from high up at the Martinitoren or Martin's Tower, so it's about time to have a look standing on the ground. This tower is the highest church steeple in the city of Groningen, and the bell tower of the Martinikerk (Martin's Church). The carillon within the tower contains 62 bells.
The citizens of Groningen call their tower d'Olle Grieze, meaning the old grey one in the local dialect.

Clocks

High up at the Martinitoren or Martin's Tower at the level where you have a look through the clocks on all 4 sides to the centre of Groningen.

Martin's church roof

The roof looked upon here is from the Martinikerk or Martin´s Church, seen from up the Martinitoren or Martin´s Tower. They were both named after Saint Martin of Tours (316-397), the patron saint of the Bishopric of Utrecht to which Groningen belonged. The origins of the Martin's Church are a cruciform church built in the 13th century, which was extended in the 15th and 16th centuries.

The white with blue buildings that you see on the top left belong to the UMCG, the University Medical Center Groningen, the main hospital of the city.

A bird´s-eye view

With the sun coming through yesterday afternoon, climbing the 251 steps of the Martinitoren (Martin's Tower) in Groningen was worth the effort as the views were spectacular. This is the Grote Markt as one of the Mayfair's locations, right at the feet of the City Hall.

Free fall

Daredevils can experience 4.5G's in The 90m Tower during a free fall, now at the Mayfair in Groningen. Even watching it was scary enough for me though! :)  Look how small the Ferris wheel looks there in the background..

I took both pictures from up the Martinitoren or 'Martin's Tower', standing at the highest point for visitors at 56 metres and zooming in at the people in the gondola just before they went down.

A Groningen city street..

..with the Martinitoren or Martin's Tower in the background.