Stationshal Hoofdstation
Stately hall of lost footsteps
From a crowded train, you trot onto the platform. Or you step briskly on from the city centre to catch your train. And then suddenly it is silent. Apart from the echo of a laughing child, for a moment you hear nothing at all. The stately station hall makes Hoofdstation Groningen one of the most beautiful station buildings in the Netherlands.
Salle des pas perdus
In the early morning or late afternoon: anytime you are in the station hall, you will see people looking up. They marvel at the ceiling and the impressive tile panels by Groningen artist F.H. Bach. The hall is a so-called 'salle des pas perdus', literally a room in which footsteps are lost. This refers to the hall's acoustics, but also to its function. Both past and present, it is a waiting room in which people walk around to pass the time and thus move their feet more or less uselessly.
Cathedral of the winged wheel
The station hall, also known as the 'cathedral of the winged wheel', is undoubtedly the reason why Hoofdstation is considered one of the most beautiful station buildings in the Netherlands. But the rest of the station building is also worth seeing. Groningen has had a station since 1866; the current building was built in the late 19th century. Next to het Peerd van Ome Loeks on the Stadsbalkon, you have a great view of the facade with its mix of late Gothic decorations, rose windows and Renaissance gables.
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