Leiden is a typical university city, with university buildings across the city centre.
Leiden is a typical university city, with university buildings across the city centre.
40 minutes by train
train Leiden Centraal
directions_car 47 km (25 mi)
official website
www.visitleiden.nl
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Leiden (formerly known as Leyden) has been one of Europe's most prominent scientific centres for more than 4 centuries. Leiden University, founded by William I of Orange in 1575, is one of Europe's top universities, with 13 Nobel Prize winners.
Leiden has - after Amsterdam - the 2nd largest number of 17th-century buildings in the Netherlands.
Today Leiden forms an important part of Dutch history. The end of the Spanish siege in 1574 is celebrated on 3 October (Leidens ontzet) by an annual parade, a day off, a fair and eating the traditional food of herring and white bread and hutspot.
Leiden is a true museum town. Leiden has over 12 museums, 5 of which are national museums. Some are closely linked to the university.
One of the world's most famous painters, Rembrandt, was born in Leiden. Other famous Leiden painters include Lucas van Leyden, Jan van Goyen and Jan Steen.
Museum de Lakenhal is a museum of history and fine art, which has a rich collection of paintings by the Dutch Old Masters including Rembrandt.
Rijksmuseum van Oudheden - the National Museum of Antiquities - is a museum about the age-old civilizations of Egypt, the Classical World, the ancient Near East, and the Netherlands in prehistoric, Roman, and medieval times.
Museum Volkenkunde – the National Museum of Ethnology – is a museum about people.
