Groningen City Boundary Markers - Book O

This is the third blip in what now is growing into a series of Groningen City Boundary Markers. Previous entries in the series:

Book U.
Book N.

This map shows the location of all the boundary markers (see below for explanation of the letters assigned to the markers). The sign next to the marker says:

For centuries, town borders were marked by walls and fortifications interspersed with highly decorated gates. The gates gave the outside world access to the towns and opened them up to the surrounding countryside. Many of the old walls and gates were pulled down in the 19th century, when towns lost their traditional shape. Groningen received the town charter in 1040. As part of the celebrations to mark is 950th anniversary, it was decided to erect a series of markers indicating the boundaries of the city and spelling its ancient name CRUONINGA. The project has been designed by Daniel Libeskind.

Thom Puckey has designed a red brick chimney which rises seventeen meters from the ground. Bricklaying is an ancient craft which is rapidly declining in the modern world. The fantastically shaped branches which break through the brickwork are part of a gold-coloured tree concealed inside the chimney. Each branch is a song. Together the branches represent the muse Polyhymnia. An urban, artificial tree.