Aduard

Musing looking out over the water. Your feet dangling off one of the benches at the edge of the canal. History at your back and water at your feet. Artist Reinier van den Berg was inspired by the water and the rich history of Aduard and its surroundings when he designed the benches. The artworks created each tell a piece of this history. The old bridge, the Steentil and Aduarderzijl can be seen in the backrests. On the seats, Reinier carved fish, birds and boats.

You can also experience the 'stories' of these benches for yourself around Aduard. If you look closely, you can still see that Aduard used to be a very important place. The village grew up around the Cistercian monastery founded here in 1192. This monastery grew into the largest and most influential in Groningen. Canals were dug and locks built from the monastery. Nowadays, you can visit the monastery's old infirmary. Or discover all about the monastery in the museum. A number of houses in the village are still reminiscent of this era because they were built with the old monastery bricks. For example, there is still an old court house that was supposed to ensure justice in the region after the monastery was destroyed.

Want to get a good impression of the village? Then walk the 3D walk. This walk lets you experience the monastery and its history. Using modern techniques, you take an almost lifelike walk through the former monastery. The walk goes via the Lindt where the first inhabitants lived, through lovely narrow paths, to the outskirts of Aduard and past the old cemetery.

And Aduard has more to offer. It is a good base to explore the National Landscape Middag-Humsterland. Here you will also find the only starred restaurant in the province of Groningen. Herberg onder den Linden, where exciting combinations based on French cuisine are combined with flavours and preparations from the Far East. There is so much to experience in the area, you won't get bored easily. So feel free to stay longer. Stay just outside Aduard, for example. From all 51 rooms of Best Western Hotel Restaurant Aduard you have a view over the characteristic Groninger countryside.