Leyden, Netherlands

... More

the town and surrounding area and to a considerable extent processed in factories in the town. More important than the foodstuffs industries, however, are metalworking, engineering and Leiden's world-famed printing industry. The town's textile industry, once so important, is now represented only by a few spinning and weaving mills and finishing factories.

Leiden is one of the leading cultural centers in the Netherlands. In addition to the University with its library of over 1.5million volumes there are a number of other research institutions in the town, including the Rijksherbarium with its collections of dried plants, the Dutch Literature Society and the Royal Institute of Linguistics, Regional Studies and Ethnology (Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde). Here too is published the "Dictionary of the Dutch Language". There are also a number of important museums in the town, including the National Museum of Antiquities (Rijksmuseum van Oudheiden) and the National Museum of Ethnology (Rijksmuseum van Volkenkunde).

There was a settlement here in ancient times, known to the Romans as Lugdunum Batavorum. In the 11th century the Counts of Holland built a castle (De Burcht) on a mound at the confluence of the Old and the New Rhine, with a church inside the castle precincts. The only relic of this early period is the Gravensteen, a 13th century stronghold which for many years was a state prison. The medieval settlement of Leythen was granted a municipal charter in 1266 and developed during the 14th and 15th centuries into the principal center of the Dutch weaving industry. Thereafter, however, the production of cloth declined sharply as a result of frequent floods and epidemics. In the 16th century Leiden became known for the successful defense of the town against a Spanish besieging force (1573-74), when William the Silent ordered the dikes of southern Holland to be breached. Tradition has it that the citizens of Leiden, offered the choice between four years' exemption from taxation or the foundation of a university as a reward for their sturdy defense of the town, chose the university. However this may be, the University of Leiden was founded in 1575 and soon rose to European reputation. The greatest scholars of their day studied and taught at Leiden University, including the classical scholar Joseph Justus Scaliger (d. 1609), the great international lawyer Hugo Grotius (d. 1645), the mathematician and physicist Christiaan Huygens, the French philosopher René Descartes and the 18th century physician Herman Boerhaave, who established the reputation of Leiden's medical school. The fame of the University promoted the prosperity of the town, which attracted thousands of refugees, driven out of their own country for their faith, to come to Leiden. As a result the population soon passed the 100,000 mark. During the 17th century, however, outbreaks of plague reduced the population to less than 30,000, and it became necessary to build hospitals and old people's homes. Characteristic features of Leiden are its 35 hofjes, groups of between 10 and 30 almshouses for old people, most of them privately run. After a long period of decline and poverty the town's economy began to revive in the 19th century with the development of modern industry and commerce, and the population of Leiden has now risen above 100,000 again. Leiden was the birthplace of many 16th and 17th century painters, including Lucas van Leyden, Rembrandt, Jan Steen, Gerard Dou, Gabriel Metsu, Jan van Goyen, Frans van Mieris and the elder and younger Willem de Velde.