UG Buildings: the Munting Building

The University of Groningen as we know it now is more than the Academy Building alone. In this series, based on the podwalk and the booklet In het spoor van de Academie (in Dutch only), we are putting a spotlight on various buildings—and a work of art—of the UG and their histories. In this episode: the Munting Building.

Opposite the building of the former National Higher Civic School (HBS) stands the Munting Building, in striking orange brick. Its longest side stands alongside Nieuwe Kijk in ‘t Jatstraat. The building houses the Teacher Training Programme, which is part of the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences—GMW for short. The building was named after Henricus Munting, who founded the Hortus Botanicus, or botanical garden, in 1626. A nice touch is that the Munting Building has large glass walls, so people on the street can catch a glimpse of the garden, especially of its showpiece—a weeping beech from 1876, with beautiful overhanging branches. During the day, the Hortus is usually accessible through a narrow entrance door at the back of the Munting Building.

In the little square on the corner, you will find a work of art created by Lex Bekink, consisting of a bench with high and low raised edges. The shape of this concrete bench is a curved line interrupted by an old English oak. The ensemble evokes the atmosphere of a village square where people, young and old, meet on a bench. It is entitled ‘La condition humaine’, taken from the famous 1933 book by French writer Malraux. Central to his work is the role of the individual. How does the individual behave in a group of people? How does interaction occur between the individual and the group? These are questions that are also being raised at the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences.

Want to find out more?

Check our overview page for the editions on the Academy Building, the Ubbo Emmius monument, the University Library, the Röling Building, the former Laboratory for Hygiene, the former Astronomy Laboratory, the Institute of Archaeology, the House with the 13 Temples, the Old Courthouse, the Main Administrative Building and the Faculty of Philosophy.

Are you interested in the buildings and history of the UG? You can download the podwalk ‘In the footsteps of the Academy’ for free. Go to the App Store (Apple) or Google Play (Android) and search for ‘Op stap met Aletta’. At the I-shop (University Shop), the walking guide In het spoor van de Academie (Dutch only) is available for €9.95: www.rug.nl/winkel.