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Cities |
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Leiden is a quiet city with a rich history, elegant architecture, and Holland's oldest university. With its scenic river banks (Rijn, Rhine) and canals it is a small version of Amsterdam, but without the tourist crowds and drug scene. With only 100,000 inhabitants Leiden would seem rather small but it hosts many superb monuments, including 35 hofjes (almshouses), 14 museums, numerous shops and restaurants, bars and terraces, and some 10,000 students.
Nature & Landscape
Parks
The main city parks are the green zones along the Singels; Leiden is not a green
city.
The Van der Werfpark
is a small park, left unbuilt after a gunpowder ship exploded at the Steenschuur
in 1807.
Hortus Botanicus Leiden.
Horticultural garden of Leiden University, founded in 1590, including the Von
Siebold Commemorative garden in Japanese style and a winter hothouse for tropical
plants. Usually open daylight saving time 10-18h; wintertime Mon-Fri, Sun 10-16h.
Closed on Sat. Rapenburg 73, tel. 071-5277249, www.hortusleiden.nl
The Leidse Hout ("Leiden's wood") was created in the 1930-ies,
partly on the same Older dune barrier that supports the Oud-Poelgeest Estate
(Oegstgeest). NW of the Diaconessen hospital. Free entrance during daylight
hours.
The Heempark is an attractive botanical garden with Dutch native
flora. East of the Oegstgeesterweg (east of the Leidse Hout). Usually open Mon-Sat
8:30-17u; May - Sep also Sun 14-17u. Free entrance, no dogs.
Rhijnhof: estate at the northern bank of the river Rijn, with
a country house from 1774, a coach-house and a walled kitchen garden. Since
1908 a graveyard and partly accessible. Laan te Rhijnhof 4.
Polders
Almost all Leiden's polders have been built up by now.
Polderpark Cronesteyn is part of the polder south
to the city that has been protected and redesigned for nature oriented recreation.
Visitors centre
Koetshuis Leidse Hout. Small nature collection. Open: Sun 14-16u,
Wed 13-16:30u. Leidse Hout, Leiden.
Het Reigersbos. Open: Sun 14-16u. Polderpark Cronesteyn, Leiden
ZO.