Borg Groenestein
In the middle of the Helpman district between the fens of centuries-old trees lies Borg Groenestein. Walk through the park and discover the last preserved borg in the municipality of Groningen
Have a look now
On the rear façade of Huis Groenestein there is a plaque bearing the date 1685, but the current layout of the country house and grounds dates from 1871. It is not entirely clear who designed the park. It may have been the famous garden architect Hendrik Copijn, or it could have been the Groningen landscape architect Gerrit Vlaskamp. In any case, the latter supplied the plants for the garden. The country house, built in a sober, eclectic architectural style, is still used as a private residence, but the park is largely open to the public. For an urban woodland, Groenestein Park boasts a remarkably rich variety of flora and fauna. There are small ponds and monumental old trees, such as the large plane tree to the south of the house. The woodland is a pleasant habitat for all manner of animals, including squirrels, bats, hedgehogs and many species of birds.