36km (23 miles) SW of Amsterdam; 20km (12 miles) NE of The Hague
A visit to Leiden is in the nature of a pilgrimage (pardon the pun) for Americans. It was here that the Pilgrim Fathers found refuge during the long years they waited to sail to a fresh beginning in the New World. Their sojourn was, however, but one small incident in Leiden's long history.
For the Dutch, the high point in Leiden's history is surely its display of heroism during the 5-month siege by the Spanish in 1574. Thousands of its residents perished, and the food situation became so intolerable that the mayor offered his own body to be used as nourishment for the starving population -- talk about sacrifice! His offer wasn't accepted, but his memory is honored by a statue in a town park.
The Dutch fleet finally rescued Leiden on October 3, after a dramatic advance over flooded fields as dikes were broken to open up a watery route to the beleaguered citizens. From that terrible siege came one of Holland's most beloved national dishes, hutspot (stew), so named for the bubbling kettle of stew left behind by fleeing Spaniards (the kettle is now ensconced in the Lakenhal Museum). If you should be in Leiden on October 3, you'll see the anniversary of the Spanish defeat observed when haring en witte brood (herring and loaves of white bread) are distributed just as they were in 1574.
Leiden is known as the birthplace of Rembrandt (who was born at Galgewater on the Rhine River, just inside the city walls in the west of town, hence his surname "van Rijn"), Jan Steen, and Lucas van Leyden.
Intelligence Test -- As a reward for their heroic resistance during the 1574 Spanish siege, Prince William of Orange offered the people of Leiden a choice -- a tax break or a university. They chose the university.
