[9] Due to its relatively isolated location from the then successive Dutch centres of power (Utrecht, The Hague, Brussels), Groningen was historically reliant on itself and nearby regions.

As a Hanseatic city, it was part of the North German trade network, but later it mainly became a regional market centre.

A folk origin story relates the idea that, in 453 BC, exiles from Troy who were guided by a mythical figure called Gruno (or Grunius, Gryns or Grunus), along with a group of Phrygians from Germany, founded a settlement in what is now Groningen, and built a castle on the bank of the Hunze, which they called 'Grunoburg', and which was later destroyed by the Vikings.

[13][14] One modern theory is that 'Groningen' meant 'among the people of Groni' ('Groningi' and 'Groninga' in the 11th century), derived from Gronesbeke, which was the old name for a small lake near the Hunze (on the northern border of Zuidlaarderveen).

[21] While the oldest document referring to Groningen's existence dates from 1040, the area was occupied by Anglo-Saxons centuries prior.

[24] In the 13th century Groningen was an important trade centre and its inhabitants built a city wall to underline its authority.

[31] During the 17th century, Groningen served as a crucial hub for the Dutch West India Company (WIC).

Warships like the Groeningen sailed from Groningen's shipyards to Africa's west coast, carrying enslaved Africans to plantations in Brazil, Suriname, and the Antilles.

[34] The Siege of Groningen (1672) led by the bishop of Münster, Bernhard von Galen during the Third Anglo-Dutch War failed and the city walls resisted;[35] an event that is celebrated annually with music and fireworks on 28 August as "Gronings Ontzet [nl]" or "Bommen Berend" ("Bombing Bernard").

[38] During World War II, the main square and the Grote Markt were largely destroyed in the Battle of Groningen in April 1945.

Snow often falls, but rarely stays long due to warmer daytime temperatures, although white snowy days happen every winter.

[48] Focus on business services has increased over time and areas such as IT, life sciences, tourism, energy, and environment have developed.

[49] All historical data are for the original city limits, excluding Hoogkerk, Noorddijk, Haren and Ten Boer.

[61] The city is regarded as the main urban centre of the Northern part of the country, particularly in the fields of education, business,[62] music and other arts.

The tournament, won by Mikhail Botvinnik of the USSR, was the first time the Soviet Union had sent a team to a foreign event.

[67] Its new building designed by Alessandro Mendini in 1994 echoes the Italian post-modern concepts and is notable for its futuristic and colourful style.

[70] The Forum Groningen that opened in 2019 is a cultural center consisting of a museum, art cinema, library, bars, rooftop terrace and tourist information office.

[78] Groningen is the host city for Eurosonic Noorderslag, an annual music showcase event for bands from across Europe.

[79] Groningen's active nightlife depends largely on its student population, with the Grote Markt, Vismarkt, Poelestraat and Peperstraat crowded nightly, most bars not closing until five in the morning.

[88] The Groningen Giants are the American football team of the city who play in the premier league of the AFBN and are nicknamed as the "Kings of the North".

[89] The running event called 4 Miles of Groningen takes place in the city on the second Sunday of October every year with over 23,000 participants.

[94] The university educated the country's first female student, Aletta Jacobs,[95] the first Dutch national astronaut, Wubbo Ockels,[96] the first president of the European Central Bank, Wim Duisenberg,[52] and two Nobel laureates; Heike Kamerlingh Onnes (in Physics) and Ben Feringa (in Chemistry).

[99] The Hanze University of Applied Sciences (in Dutch: Hanzehogeschool Groningen) was founded in 1986 and is more focused on the practical application of knowledge, offering bachelor and master courses in fields like Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Communication and Multimedia Design, and Renewable Energy.

[113] An extensive network of bike paths were planned to make it more convenient to cycle to various destinations instead of taking a car.

[117] The streets that are discontinuous for cars connect to a network of pedestrian and bike paths which permeate the entire centre.

[118] In addition, these paths go through public squares and open spaces, increasing aesthetic appeal and encouraging participation.

[119] The logic of filtering a mode of transport is fully expressed in a comprehensive model for laying out neighbourhoods and districts—the fused grid.