It is located east of the city of Groningen, and north of the village of Hoogkerk.

The church of Leegkerk, built in the first half of the 13th century, is located here.

[3] Unconventionally, the church and surrounding buildings, a former parsonage and sacristy school, are located outside of the village's main core, which is located more eastern and currently grown against the Groningen residential area of Gravenburg.

The name Legakerke first appeared in 1385, a compound of Old Frisian leeg ("low, low-lying") and kerk ("church").

It is suspected that the name change has to do with the fact that the peat had been excavated at that time and the area around Leegkerk had become lower than the sand ridge on which Hoogkerk is located.