Turfeiland
The Turfeiland is a crown jewel. Crown jewels are green places in the city, where nature and history combine to produce special quality. They are cared for and protected like precious jewels.
Turfeiland forms part of Groningen’s canal belt, also known as the Diepenring. Here, ‘diep’ is the Groningen dialect word for ‘canal’ or ‘waterway’. It is a small patch of greenery, just outside the former medieval city walls. The construction of the Diepenring probably dates back to the year 1225. Some parts of the old Diepenring have been filled in over time, including the Gedempte Zuiderdiep, where the water disappeared around 1880.
Turfeiland is special because it is one of the few patches of greenery in the otherwise largely built-up Diepenring. In the compact city centre, this green space represents an important sustainable asset. The Diepenring itself also has a biotope all of its own. The quays are home to unusual wall vegetation, including rare ferns and even fig trees. This enhances the unique character of the historic heritage.