Martiniplaza in Groningen
Martiniplaza is Groningen's largest event venue, with a 1,550-seat theatre, a 4,250-seat Middenhal and 600 parking spaces opposite the entrance.
Photo credits
A GasTerra Flames basketball game in Martiniplaza, with play on the court.: Jos @ FPS-Groningen from Ten Boer, Netherlands · CC BY 2.0
Quick answers
- Capacity
- 1,550 theatre · 4,250 Middenhal
- Address
- Leonard Springerlaan 29727 KB Groningen
- Nearest station
- Groningen, 15 min walk
- Closest parking
- 600 spaces opposite · €2.75/h
- Typical start
- 20:00 evening · 14:00-15:00 matinee
- Box office
- Mon-Fri 12:00-17:00 · 1 h before shows
- Address
- Leonard Springerlaan 2, Groningen
- Contact
- 050 5222 777
Holidays at Martiniplaza
Open on the holidays: these nights are in the agenda.
- ChristmasHans Klok - The Illusionists
Music at Martiniplaza: upcoming events
Tonight, this week and the months ahead at this venue in Groningen.
Last night at Martiniplaza: Stadjersmarkt 2026, Donar Groningen - Hubo Limburg United
March 2027
April 2027
Plan your visit to Martiniplaza
How many people fit in Martiniplaza?
The theatre hall seats 1,550 people: 900 in the benedenzaal and just over 600 on the balcony, which can be closed to leave a 900-seat hall.
- Theatrezaal
- 1,550 seats
- Benedenzaal
- 900 seats
- Balcony
- Just over 600 seats
- Middenhal
- 4,250 seats
- Expo 1
- Up to 5,500 guests
- Borgmanhal
- About 3,000 guests
The Middenhal is the largest seated room with 4,250 seats; Expo 1 takes up to 5,500 guests and the Borgmanhal about 3,000. These are capacities of separate halls, not a total for the building.
Two other active Groningen theatres put that in perspective: De Oosterpoort's main hall seats 1,150 and the Stadsschouwburg's theatre hall 750. Both are in or next to the city centre.
| Space | Capacity | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Theatrezaal | 1,550 seats (900 benedenzaal + 600 balcony) | Musicals, theatre, lectures, congresses |
| Middenhal | 4,250 seats | Sport, concerts, fairs, congresses |
| Expo 1 | 5,500 guests | Fairs, congresses, large events |
| Borgmanhal | 3,000 guests | Fairs, congresses, events |
| De Oosterpoort | 1,150 seats | Concert hall, for comparison |
| Stadsschouwburg | 750 seats | Theatre, for comparison |
Seating plan: the benedenzaal and the balcony
The theatre has two levels: 900 seats in the benedenzaal and just over 600 on the balcony, served by 4 to 6 entrances and a stage of about 16 by 12 metres.
- Benedenzaal
- 900 seats
- Balcony
- Just over 600 seats
- Stage
- About 16 x 12 m
- Entrances
- 4 to 6
- Balcony closed
- 900-seat hall
For the closest view, choose the front of the benedenzaal. The balcony gives a full view of the stage and works best in its front rows; rang 2 and 3 are the seats further back. Some productions sell a flexible price level instead of a fixed rang 2 or 3 place and assign seats a few days before the show, which can land you better seats than the traditional back rows.
For smaller shows the balcony can be closed, leaving a 900-seat hall that feels fuller. Your ticket shows the entrance and rang; follow the signs in the foyer.
Where to eat before a show at Martiniplaza
Brasserie Loeks serves local, seasonal dishes before evening performances and sports events, and you can reserve a table when you buy tickets.
The brasserie opened in 2024 and serves lunch, drinks and dinner as well as a pre-show meal; the kitchen uses regional and seasonal products. Book with your ticket order or reserve a table separately.
Theatre arrangements add a welcome coffee or tea with a snack, an interval drink with nuts and crisps for €11.50, or an after-show drink with a borrel plate for €12.50; both are available from two people. The theatre foyer has four fixed bars and opens an hour before the show.
- Brasserie
- Loeks, opened 2024
- Produce
- Local and seasonal
- Open
- Before evening shows and sport
- Welcome and interval arrangement
- €11.50
- After-show arrangement
- €12.50
- From
- 2 people
- Theatre foyer
- 4 fixed bars
Tickets, opening times and arriving at the theatre
Buy tickets online 24 hours a day or at reception Monday to Friday 12:00-17:00; the box office also opens an hour before each performance.
Online tickets arrive by email and can be shown on your phone or printed. You can also order by phone on 050 5222 777, Monday to Friday 12:00-17:00, or have tickets posted for €3.50.
Contact Martiniplaza at least 14 days before the performance to discuss the possibilities. Exchanging tickets is only possible if you bought them from Martiniplaza, and a €2.50 cancellation fee applies per ticket. Returns are usually not possible for sold-out shows. Buy from Martiniplaza or its official ticket links: tickets from other sellers can be invalid at the door.
The foyer and Chez Jacques open an hour before the show for drinks, and Chez Jacques stays open afterwards. Latecomers are admitted only at a suitable moment and risk being refused, without a replacement ticket or refund. Booster seats are limited; bring your own if you have one.
- Online
- 24 hours a day
- Reception
- Mon-Fri 12:00-17:00
- Box office
- 1 hour before the show
- Post
- €3.50
- Cancellation fee
- €2.50 per ticket
- Foyer
- Opens 1 hour before
Accessibility at Martiniplaza
The theatre has a limited number of wheelchair spaces; book them through the reservation line on 050 5222 777, Monday to Friday 12:00-17:00.
Two loan wheelchairs are kept at reception and can be reserved in advance on 050 5222 818. Staff can help visitors who are less mobile; ask at reception on arrival.
A free hearing system is available at the cloakroom: you get a receiver for headphones or a loop for your hearing aid, and you can ask for it before the performance. Booster seats for children are limited, so bring your own if you have one.
- Wheelchair spaces
- Limited; book via 050 5222 777
- Loan wheelchairs
- 2; reserve via 050 5222 818
- Hearing system
- Free at the cloakroom
- Booster seats
- Limited
Getting to Martiniplaza by train, bus or car
Groningen station is about a 15-minute walk from the entrance, and bus 19 stops at L. Springerlaan, 5 minutes away.
By train, leave Groningen station on foot or take bus 19 to L. Springerlaan; buses 9, 10, 19 and 85 also stop at Overwinningsplein, an 11-minute walk. The station itself is 1,660 m away by the walking route.
By car, Martiniplaza sits on the edge of the city along the A7 and near the A28; follow the Martiniplaza signs. Check the current NS timetable before you travel, especially for evening shows.
Parking at Martiniplaza: garage, rate and walking time
The garage opposite the main entrance has 600 spaces and costs €2.75 an hour or €22 per 24 hours, paid by card at the machine.
Deck clearance is 2.90 m and the basement 1.90 m. Six 22 kW chargers sit on the deck to the right of the payment machine and are paid with a charge card.
| Garage | Address | Walk | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parkeergarage MartiniPlaza | Leonard Springerlaan 2 (opposite the main entrance) | 160 m, 3 min | €2.75 per hour; €22 per 24 hours |
- Spaces
- 600
- Rate
- €2.75 per hour or €22 per 24 hours
- Deck clearance
- 2.90 m
- Basement clearance
- 1.90 m
- EV charging
- 6 x 22 kW
Contact and address
Martiniplaza is at Leonard Springerlaan 2, 9727 KB Groningen; call 050 5222 777 or email [email protected].
- Address
- Leonard Springerlaan 2
- Postcode
- 9727 KB Groningen
- Phone
- 050 5222 777
- [email protected]
- Reception
- Mon-Fri 12:00-17:00
- Postal address
- Postbus 8010, 9702 KA Groningen
About Martiniplaza
Martiniplaza is the largest event venue in the north of the Netherlands, on the edge of Groningen's Stadspark at Leonard Springerlaan 2. It combines a 1,550-seat theatre, the 4,250-seat Middenhal, Expo 1 for up to 5,500 guests and the 3,000-guest Borgmanhal.
The venue welcomes more than 500,000 visitors a year for theatre, musicals, concerts, top sport, fairs and congresses. The theatre is one of the five largest in the Netherlands, and the halls host everything from basketball to trade shows.
Martiniplaza opened as the Martinihal in 1969; the theatre followed on 4 March 2002. Brasserie Loeks opened in 2024, and the venue says its events generate around €30 million a year for the city and region, good for around 400 jobs.
Groningen station is about 15 minutes' walk, bus 19 stops 5 minutes away, and the garage opposite the entrance has 600 spaces at €2.75 an hour. Tickets are sold online 24 hours a day and at reception Monday to Friday 12:00-17:00.
- Opened
- 1969 as the Martinihal
- Theatre opened
- 4 March 2002
- Visitors
- 500,000 a year
- Rooms
- Theatre, Middenhal, Expo 1, Borgmanhal
History of Martiniplaza
Martiniplaza began as the Martinihal, which opened in August 1969 as an exhibition and trade-fair complex on the edge of the A7 and the Stadspark. The Evenementenhal followed in 1972, the Borgmanhal in 1981 and the Springerzaal in 1991.
In 1997 the venue decided to replace the Evenementenhal with a large theatre; the Middenhal was built on the former forecourt at the same time. The theatre opened on 4 March 2002, and the complex took the name Martiniplaza.
The meeting wing was restyled and Brasserie Loeks opened in 2024. The venue now programmes theatre, music, sport, fairs and congresses, and says it welcomes more than 500,000 visitors a year.
- Martinihal opened
- August 1969
- Theatre opened
- 4 March 2002
- Brasserie Loeks
- Opened 2024
Hotels near Martiniplaza
Hotel Mercure and Hotel Leonardo are within walking distance of the venue; The Market Hotel is on the Grote Markt in the city centre.
The two nearby hotels suit a show night because you can leave the car at the venue or walk back after the performance. The Market Hotel sits on the Grote Markt, in the heart of Groningen, and is a bus or taxi ride away.
Nearby
Hotel Mercure and Hotel Leonardo
City centre
The Market Hotel, Grote Markt
Photos
Photo credits
A GasTerra Flames basketball game in Martiniplaza, with play on the court.: Jos @ FPS-Groningen from Ten Boer, Netherlands · CC BY 2.0
The theatre hall at Martiniplaza, with rows of seats facing the stage.: Pepijnkoning · CC BY 3.0
The main entrance of Martiniplaza on Leonard Springerlaan in Groningen.: Pepijnkoning · CC BY 3.0
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Frequently asked questions
How many people fit in Martiniplaza?
The theatre hall seats 1,550: 900 in the benedenzaal and just over 600 on the balcony. The Middenhal seats 4,250, Expo 1 takes up to 5,500 guests and the Borgmanhal about 3,000; these are separate rooms, not one total.
Which seats are best in the theatre?
The front of the benedenzaal gives the closest view, while the front rows of the balcony give a full overview of the stage. Rang 2 and 3 are the seats further back; some shows sell a flexible price level and assign seats a few days before.
Is there a seating plan for the theatre?
The hall has two levels, the 900-seat benedenzaal and the 600-seat balcony, with 4 to 6 entrances. The balcony can be closed for smaller shows, leaving 900 seats. Your ticket shows the entrance and rang.
How much does parking cost at Martiniplaza?
The garage opposite the main entrance has 600 spaces and costs €2.75 an hour or €22 per 24 hours, paid by card. Deck clearance is 2.90 m, the basement 1.90 m, and there are six 22 kW EV chargers.
How do I get to Martiniplaza by train or bus?
Groningen station is about a 15-minute walk. Bus 19 stops at L. Springerlaan, 5 minutes from the entrance; buses 9, 10, 19 and 85 stop at Overwinningsplein, 11 minutes away.
What time do shows start?
Evening shows usually start at 20:00 and matinees at 14:00 or 15:00; the foyer and box office open an hour before. Martiniplaza does not publish a standard end time, so the length depends on the production.
Can I buy tickets at the box office?
Yes. Reception sells tickets Monday to Friday 12:00-17:00, and the box office opens an hour before each performance. Online sales run 24 hours a day, and phone orders are taken on 050 5222 777 Monday to Friday 12:00-17:00.
Can I return or exchange my tickets?
Contact Martiniplaza at least 14 days before the performance to discuss the possibilities. Exchanging tickets is only possible if you bought them from Martiniplaza, and a €2.50 cancellation fee applies per ticket. Returns are usually not possible for sold-out shows.
Is Martiniplaza wheelchair accessible?
The theatre has a limited number of wheelchair spaces, booked on 050 5222 777 Monday to Friday 12:00-17:00. Two loan wheelchairs can be reserved on 050 5222 818, and a free hearing system is available at the cloakroom.
Where can I eat before a show?
Brasserie Loeks serves local, seasonal dishes before evening performances and sports events; reserve with your tickets or separately. Theatre arrangements cost €11.50 for a welcome drink and interval snack, or €12.50 for an after-show drink and borrel plate, from two people.
Are there booster seats for children?
Yes, but only a limited number. Ask at the theatre, or bring your own booster seat if you have one.
What happens if I arrive late?
Latecomers are admitted only if the company agrees and other visitors are not disturbed. You risk being refused entry and cannot claim a replacement ticket or refund.
Where can I stay near Martiniplaza?
Hotel Mercure and Hotel Leonardo are within walking distance. The Market Hotel is on the Grote Markt in the city centre, a bus or taxi ride away.
Sources: Martiniplaza: over ons (October 30, 2026) · Martiniplaza: historie (October 30, 2026) · Martiniplaza: onze zalen (October 30, 2026) · Martiniplaza: theaterzaal (October 30, 2026) · Martiniplaza: bereikbaarheid (October 30, 2026) · Brasserie Loeks (October 30, 2026) · Martiniplaza: kaartverkoop (October 30, 2026) · Martiniplaza: theaterbezoek (October 30, 2026) · Martiniplaza: openingstijden en contact (October 30, 2026)
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