22 februari/February 1672

On this day in 1672, one of the shops/workplace of map maker Johan Blaeu, at the Gravenstraat in Amsterdam, goes up in flames. Fortunately his other shops were saved.

Above a Blaeu map of the city of Groningen, with the 'new' fortifications. The city walls were kept intact until deep in the 19th century, when they were considered obsolete. The walls were torn down, the ditches were filled, and only from abiove you canb see where once the proud walls were standing. The many city gates were demolished, except for one, which is now in the Rijksmuseum collection.