Leiden

Buildings of interest

Because of the economic decline in 17th to early 20th century Leiden much of the 16th and 17th century town centre is still intact.

Related Topics:
20th century - 17th century

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Fortifications

At the strategically important junction of the two arms of the Old Rhine stands the old castle De Burcht, a circular tower built on an earthen mound. The mound probably was a refuge against high water before a small wooden fortress was built on top of it in the 11th century. Of Leiden's old city gates only two are left, the Zijlpoort and the Morspoort and the both dating from the end of the 17th century. Apart from one small wachtower on the Singel nothing is left of the town's city walls. Another former fortification is the Gravensteen. Built as a fortress in the 13th century it has since served as house, library an prison. Presently it is one of the University's buildings.

Related Topics:
Old Rhine - Castle - 11th century - City gate - 17th century - City wall - Fortification - Fortress - 13th century

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Churches

Of the numerous churches Leiden counts the chief are the Hooglandsche Kerk, or the church of St Pancras, built in the 15th century, containing the monument of Pieter Adriaanszoon van der Werff, and the Pieterskerk (church of St Peter(1315) with monuments to Scaliger, Boerhaave and other famous scholars.

Related Topics:
Church - St Pancras - 15th century - Pieter Adriaanszoon van der Werff - St Peter - Scaliger - Boerhaave

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From a historical perspective the Marekerk is interesting too. Arent van 's Gravesande designed the church in 1639. Other fine examples of his work in Leiden are De Lakenhal, in which the municipal museum is located, and the Bibliotheca Thysiana. The growing town needed another church and the Marekerk was the first church to be built in Leiden after the Reformation. It is an example of Dutch Classicism. In the drawings by Van 's Gravesande the pulpit is the centrepiece of the church. The pulpit is modelled after the one in the Nieuwe Kerk at Haarlem (designed by Jacob van Campen). The building was first used in 1650, and is still in use.

Related Topics:
Arent van 's Gravesande - 1639 - Bibliotheca Thysiana - Reformation - Dutch Classicism - Pulpit - Haarlem - Jacob van Campen - 1650

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University buildings

The town centre contains many buildings that are in use by the University of Leiden. The Academy Building is housed in a former 16th century convent. Among the institutions connected with the university are the national institution for East Indian languages, ethnology and geography; the botanical gardens, founded in 1587; the observatory (1860); the museum of antiquities (Rijksmuseum van Oudheden); and the ethnographical museum, of which P. F. von Siebold's Japanese collections was the nucleus. The Bibliotheca Thysiana occupies an old Renaissance building of the year 1655. It is especially rich in legal works and vernacular chronicles. Noteworthy are also the many special collections at Leiden University Library among which those of the Society of Dutch Literature (1766) and the collection of casts and engravings. In recent years the university has built the Bio Science Park at the city's outskirts to accommodate the Science departments.

Related Topics:
University of Leiden - 16th century - Convent - Ethnology - Geography - Botanical gardens - 1587 - Observatory - 1860 - Rijksmuseum van Oudheden - Ethnographical - P. F. von Siebold - Japan - Bibliotheca Thysiana - Renaissance - 1655 - Vernacular - Leiden University Library - Society of Dutch Literature - 1766 - Bio Science Park

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Other buildings

Some other interesting buildings are the town hall (Stadhuis), a 16th century building that was badly damaged by a fire in 1929); the Gemeenslandshuis van Rynland (1596, restored in 1878); the weigh house (Waag), built by Pieter Post ; the former court-house (Gerecht); a corn-grinding windmill, now home to a museum (Molen de Valk) (1743) the old gymnasium(Latijnse School) (1599) and the city carpenter's yard and wharf (Stadstimmerwerf) (1612), both built by Lieven de Key (c. 1560-1627).

Related Topics:
16th century - 1929 - 1596 - 1878 - Pieter Post - 1743 - Gymnasium - 1599 - Wharf - 1612 - Lieven de Key

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