Sightseeing in Leeuwarden - what to see. Complete travel guide

Leeuwarden is a town in Holland. It is also the administrative center of Friesland province. The population of the town estimated 88.7 thousands of people in 1970.

Leeuwarden is an important crossing of railway lines and channels. In this place are well-developed such industries as metal processing and food (mostly milk) industry. In Leeuwarden is also located the University of Economy and Technology.

The modern territory of Leeuwarden was inhabited already in X century (however, newest data received from the excavations proves this town existed already in II century). Leeuwarden got the status of the town only in 1435. As the town had a beneficial location on the disappeared Middelzee River (on the area where the river flows into the sea), Leeuwarden quickly became a large center of trading. However, in XV the river drained and this caused economic decline of the town. During World War II this place was occupied by the Germans.

Among the main sights of Leeuwarden are the building of the former chancery, Kanselarij, the old market of the town named Waag, St. Boniface Church and a falling town Oldehove.

In 1954 in the town was installed the monument devoted to a cow. The foundation of the monument has a craving that is translated as “Our mother” – a short and clear definition of the approach to this animal in Leeuwarden. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Each year a huge domino festival takes place in Leeuwarden. On this day here are set up international records concerning the number of falling domino pieces that feature domino principle. The participants of the event spend days building sequences of domino pieces that than fall. The latest world record was set up in 2009. On that year the number of falling domino pieces was equal to 4 491 863.

In the city, the building of the old town hall was preserved. Its construction began in 1715 by a talented local carpenter named Klas Bokes Balk. Now the Town Hall is a fairly large and complex architectural center. For hundreds of years of its existence, several additional housings have been completed. A distinctive feature of the historic building is large windows, due to which it looks less strict and formal than it could.

Not far from the town hall is another iconic historical facility - the Fletcher Hotel - Paleis Stadhouderlijk Hof. This is one of the oldest hotels in the city. Until 1971, it was in the possession of the royal family. In front of the hotel, there are several beautiful monuments dedicated to outstanding counts and residents of the city. The main symbol of the historic hotel is a tree that was planted on its territory in 1898 in honor of the coronation of Wilhelmina. Now this tree is encircled by a beautiful fence. For locals, it continues to be an important national symbol.

An interesting feature of Leeuwarden is the diversity of unusual monuments. With each of them, there is bound to be an interesting story. The search for such monuments often turns into a fascinating quest for tourists. On the market square, you can see the monument to Het Friese Paard, which was opened in 1981 and is dedicated to the Friesian horse. Nearby is the monument to De Karnster, which depicts a woman whipping butter. The opening of this monument took place in 1979. It reminds locals and guests of the city that in the 16th century, oil was the main product that was weighed in the nearby Chamber of Commerce. Not far from the channel Korfmakerspijp, you can find a monument to the famous dancer-spy Mata Hari, whose home is the city of Leeuwarden.

Walking along the historic Voorstreek Street, you can notice a very unusual old building with a bright yellow facade. This building is the main city’s pharmacy, which was built in 1904. Since the construction of this building, it has remained virtually unchanged. On its first floor is still located a pharmacy. It will be interesting to visit inside this pharmacy. They sell excellent natural cosmetics, which will not leave women indifferent.