# Grou > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Grou > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Grou.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grou > Source revision: 1311011630 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) For other uses, see [Grou (disambiguation)](/source/Grou_(disambiguation)). This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Grou" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Village in Friesland, Netherlands Grou Grouw Village St Peter's Church Flag Coat of arms Location in the former Boarnsterhim municipality Grou Location in the Netherlands Show map of Friesland Grou Grou (Netherlands) Show map of Netherlands Country Netherlands Province Friesland Municipality Leeuwarden Population (2017) • Total 5,655 Time zone UTC+1 (CET) • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST) Postal code 9000-01 Telephone area 0566 **Grou** ([Dutch](/source/Dutch_language): *Grouw*[1]) is a town in the province [Friesland](/source/Friesland) of the [Netherlands](/source/Netherlands) and had around 5655 citizens in January 2017.[2] Since 2014 Grou is part of the municipality of [Leeuwarden](/source/Leeuwarden). The town is located on the [Pikmeer](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pikmeer&action=edit&redlink=1) [[fy](https://fy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pikmar)] lake and the [Prinses Margriet Canal](/source/Prinses_Margriet_Canal). [Heineken](/source/Heineken) operated a distribution centre for Friesland in Grou for 25 years until 2004.[3] It used to be the capital of the municipality of [Idaarderadeel](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Idaarderadeel&action=edit&redlink=1) [[fy](https://fy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaarderadiel)] before the reorganization of municipalities in 1984, and capital of the municipality of [Boarnsterhim](/source/Boarnsterhim) until 2014. While the rest of the Netherlands celebrates [Sinterklaas](/source/Sinterklaas) (Saint Nicholas) on December 5, Grou instead celebrates a unique local variation of this children's holiday known as [Sint-Piter](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sint-Piter&action=edit&redlink=1) [[fy](https://fy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sint-Piter)] on February 21. In local lore Sint Piter is a distinct character separate from Saint Nicholas, and was historically known as the patron saint for local fishermen.[4] A nickname for the town is **Tsiisferdûnsers**, meaning cheese dancers, from a story where a fiddler was paid with cheese at a village dance.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## Transport A32 underpass of the Prinses Margriet Canal The town is located at an exit on the A32 motorway. There is a ferry across the canal called [Veerpont de Burd](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Veerpont_de_Burd&action=edit&redlink=1) that connects the [de Burd](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=De_Burd&action=edit&redlink=1) island. The [Grou-Jirnsum railway station](/source/Grou-Jirnsum_railway_station) is on the [Staatslijn A](/source/Staatslijn_A) ([Arnhem](/source/Arnhem) - [Leeuwarden](/source/Leeuwarden)) line. ## Population map of Grou 1954 1959 1964 1969 1973 1990 1999 3453 3522 3880 4129 4600 5316 5472 2002 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 5731 5916 5875 5769 5737 5673 5634 2011 5623 ## Notable births - [Pibo Ovittius fan Abbema](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pibo_Ovittius_fan_Abbema&action=edit&redlink=1) [[fy](https://fy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pibo_Ovittius_fan_Abbema)] (ca. 1542-1618), clergyman - [Brothers Halbertsma](/source/Brothers_Halbertsma) - [Eeltsje Hiddes Halbertsma](/source/Eeltsje_Hiddes_Halbertsma) (1797-1858), physician, poet and writer - [Joast Hiddes Halbertsma](/source/Joast_Hiddes_Halbertsma) (1789-1869), Mennonite minister, writer and poet - [Tsjalling Hiddes Halbertsma](/source/Tsjalling_Hiddes_Halbertsma) (1792–1852), merchant and poet - [Atje Keulen-Deelstra](/source/Atje_Keulen-Deelstra) (1938-2013), speed skater - [Haitske Pijlman](/source/Haitske_Pijlman) (born 1954), speed skater ## Sport An artificial ice rink ([Glice](/source/Glice)) invented by Eric Sinnema was opened for public use in 2007.[5] ## Gallery - Houses near the harbour with St. Peter's church in the background - Grou harbour - New quai 1850 ## Notable buildings - [St. Peter's church](/source/Protestant_church_of_Grou) - Three restored windmills survive in Grou, [*De Bird*](/source/De_Bird%2C_Grou), [*De Borgmolen*](/source/De_Borgmolen%2C_Grou) and [*De Haensmolen*](/source/De_Haensmolen%2C_Grou). ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Taalunie_1-0)** Taalunie (2020). ["Friese namen"](https://namen.taalunie.org/friese-namen) (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 January 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2017](http://statline.cbs.nl/Statweb/publication/?DM=SLNL&PA=83765NED&D1=0-1,3-4,8,11,14,28,31-32,99-104&D2=8740-8880&HDR=T&STB=G1&VW=T) - CBS Statline 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["De Grouster - Nieuws"](https://www.degrouster.nl/?show=article&article_id=886). *De Grouster*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Geschiedenis – Sint Piter"](https://sintpiter.nl/geschiedenis/). *Sint Piter*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Wereldprimeur in Grou met kunststof ijsbaan - NU - Het laatste nieuws het eerst op NU.nl"](http://www.nu.nl/wetenschap/1351292/wereldprimeur-in-grou-met-kunststof-ijsbaan.html). *www.nu.nl*. ## External links - Media related to [Grou](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Grou) at Wikimedia Commons - [Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia entry for Grouw](http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/grouw_friesland_netherlands) - [de Grouster - local news](https://www.degrouster.nl) v t e Populated places in the municipality of Leeuwarden Towns Leeuwarden Villages Alde Leie Baard Bears Britsum Eagum Easterlittens Feinsum Friens Goutum Grou Hempens Hilaard Hijum Húns Idaerd Jellum Jelsum Jirnsum Jorwert Koarnjum Lekkum Leons Mantgum Reduzum Snakkerburen Stiens Swichum Warstiens Warten Wergea Weidum Wirdum Wytgaard Hamlets Bartlehiem (partially) Miedum Teerns List of cities, towns and villages in Friesland --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Grou](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grou) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grou?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.