Peerd van Ome Loeks, Public sculpture at Groningen Central Station, Netherlands
The Peerd van Ome Loeks is a white concrete sculpture in front of Groningen Central Station that shows a horse and its owner through geometric forms. The artwork stands about 2.20 meters tall and extends roughly 3.10 meters deep.
The sculpture was created in 1959 by Jan de Baat and commemorates a racehorse that belonged to Lucas van Hemmen. The animal died in 1910 after being injured by a nail.
The sculpture connects to a traditional Groningen folk song that children sang about the horse being taken to the butcher. It brings public art together with a local memory passed down through generations.
The monument stands directly in front of the station's main entrance and serves as a natural meeting point for travelers. Visitors can easily see and reach the sculpture from the street.
The sculpture was controversial after it was unveiled, and the artist even offered to create a different design for free. Yet the original form was kept and remains unchanged to this day.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
