The A-bridge is a bridge over the A/ The street on the left across the water is called the Pottebakkersrijge. Many merchants settled near the water. A few potters had their business on the Pottebakkersrijge. They needed the water to supply the heavy potter's clay from the province. When baking the pottery, the ovens had to be heated up considerably. The danger of fire was always lurking. That is also why it was very useful to live close to the water.
On the other side, the street is called Lage der A, here Hoge der A. One of the explanations for these two names is the difference in height between the quays. In the past, the west side of the city had an open connection to the sea. The ebb and flow were noticeable here. At high tide, a higher quay was needed to be able to moor the ships than at low tide.
However, the difference in height between the two quays is not that great at all. It is therefore also possible that ‘hoge’ refers to the higher city and ‘laag’ refers to the lower grounds on the other side of the water, grounds that were once outside the city.
In the alley between Hooge der A number 3 and 4, it is still clearly visible that it runs upwards towards the city, again that extension of the Hondsrug.
At number 5 is the restored warehouse Libau. In the Middle Ages, trade in Groningen flourished and many warehouses were built along the water, both at the Hoge der A and at the Lage der A. Soap, seeds, grain, potatoes and sails were traded. The group of warehouses at the Hoge and Lage der A and the Noorderhaven is now the largest collection of warehouses in the Netherlands.