Monuments
Leiden has over 2700 monuments. From almshouses to windmills and churches to city gates.
In fact, Leiden's entire downtown area is a historic monument in its entirety. Located within such a short distance from one another, a walk along the canals to view the most conspicuous monuments hardly takes any effort and is well worth the time!
Gilde Leiden organises special theme walks, and the VVV tourist office also offers guided tours. Of course, you can also feel free to explore Leiden on your own using the illustrated 'Leiden Loop' guidebook. The loop takes you past all of the most beautiful places in Leiden's historic centre. Planning on visiting Leiden with a group of colleagues, friends or family? The Groepswijzer.nl website has put together a list of special theme walks for seeing the many monuments that Leiden boasts.
Here is a brief introduction to several of these monuments:
Stadhuis Leiden 
Leiden's Stadhuis or town hall is one of the most characteristic buildings in the entire city. Located on the banks of the New Rhine, it has a long and turbulent history, the tragic low point of which was the fire of 1929. The old Renaissance exterior facing the Breestraat survived the fire and dates back to 1595; the part facing the Vismarkt was built in 1940 after the original section was destroyed in the fire.
De Burcht 
In Leiden, De Burcht or 'citadel' is one of the oldest surviving examples of a 'motte' castle in the Netherlands. These early medieval fortresses were built on a man-made hill called a motte and were usually made of wood. The citadel is open to the public. The stairs are very steep, but if you manage to reach the top your efforts will be rewarded with an absolutely fantastic view of Leiden.
De Waag 
Dating back to the Golden Age, De Waag or the 'weigh house' is a textbook example of Dutch Classicism. The weigh house opened in 1659. For centuries, this was where merchants came to weigh and trade all sorts of goods. Gradually, business practices changed and the last cheese was sold in 1972. From then on, the building has served a cultural purpose.
Het Gravensteen 
When it was built in the early Middle Ages, buildings were seldom made of stone, which explains why this monument earned the nickname Het Gravensteen or 'the Count's Stone'. It was reinforced tower constructed as part of the local count's estate. Over the centuries, it has been used as a prison, a community home and a book depository. Today it is part of the university.
Pieterskerk 
The Pieterskerk or 'church of Peter' was founded in 1121 as the count's chapel and was built in phases (depending on financial means). Today, the church looks more or less the way it did by the 16th century. Before 1811 many prominent people were buried in the Pieterskerk, like Jacobus Arminius, Herman Boerhaave, Jan Steen and John Robinson, pastor of the "Pilgrim Fathers".
Hooglandse Kerk 
The Hooglandse Kerk or 'Highland church' is an imposing, late Gothic cathedral in the heart of Leiden. The Gothic interplay of lines and huge windows allow a tremendous amount of light into the enormous space. The church has excellent acoustics and is famous for its elegance.
St. Anna Aalmoeshuis 
Founded in 1492, this is one of the oldest hofjes or almshouses in Leiden. A striking detail is the small chapel for the residents, which was consecrated in 1509. The chapel is filled with unique furniture and fittings, and the windows feature the oldest stained glass in the Netherlands.
