Page 222 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - The Netherlands

220  WESTERN NE THERLANDS

Exploring Leiden
Leiden is famous for its university, which is the oldest in the
country. It was founded in 1575, one year after the Beggars of
the Sea (see p245) freed the town from a protracted siege by the
Spanish (see p53). As a reward for their endurance, William of
Orange offered the people of Leiden the choice between a
university and the abolition of taxes. The people made a shrewd
choice and the town went on to become a centre of intellectual
pro gress and religious freedom. English Puritan dissidents, victims
of persecution in their homeland, were able to settle here in the
17th century before undertaking their journey to the New World.
One of the 35 almshouses in Leiden
E Museum de Lakenhal to be missed is the large bronze
Oude Singel 28–32. Tel 071-5165360. cooking pot said to have been Clusius, who introduced the
Closed to the public, renovations left by the Spaniards during tulip to Holland (see pp34–5),
underway (scheduled to reopen in the relief of Leiden in 1574. The became the first professor of
2018). & 7 8 - ∑ lakenhal.nl spicy casserole it contained botany at the University of
In the 17th century, the lakenhal is re-created as a stew cooked Leiden. The Hortus Botanicus
(cloth merchants’ hall) was the every year on 3 October to features a reconstruction of his
centre of the Leiden textile commemorate Dutch victory walled garden. Also worth a look
industry. Arent van ’s Gravesande over the Spanish. are the tropical greenhouses, the
designed the building in 1640 in rose garden and the Von Siebold
Dutch Classical style. The munic- Y Hortus Botanicus Leiden Japanese memorial garden.
ipal museum has been here since Rapenburg 73. Tel 071-5275144.
1874. The showpiece of the Open summer: 10am–6pm daily; E Museum Boerhaave
collection, which was rescued winter: 10am–4pm Tue–Sun. Lange St Agnietenstraat 10. Tel 071-
from the Pieterskerk (St Peter’s Closed 3 Oct, 24 Dec–1 Jan. 8 & 5214224. Closed to the public,
Church) during the religious 7 partial. ∑ hortusleiden.nl renovations underway. 8 & 7 -
disputes of 1566 (see pp56–7) is The botanical garden of Leiden = ∑ museumboerhaave.nl
The Last Judgment (1526–7), a was founded in 1590 as part of Located in the former Caecilia
triptych in Renaissance style by the university. A number of its Hospital in the centre of Leiden,
Lucas van Leyden. Other Leiden trees and shrubs are particularly this is the Netherlands’ National
artists, from Rembrandt old, such as a laburnum dating Museum of the History of
to Theo van Doesburg, from 1601. In 1593, Carolus Science and Medicine. It is
are also featured. named after the great
The museum has Dutch professor of
displays of silver, medicine Herman
glass, tin and tiles Boerhaave (1668–
and explores 1738). The collec-
the history of tion reflects the
Leiden. Not development

Lucas van Leyden’s triptych of The Last Judgment, in the Museum de Lakenhal
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp397–8 and pp410–11

220-221_EW_Netherlands.indd 220 16/01/17 12:05 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.4)
Date 25th April 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm