Leiden's monuments

Stadhuis (Town Hall)

On the banks of the Rhine, Leiden's town hall preserves a Renaissance facade built in 1595–1596. A fire destroyed much of the complex in 1929, which explains the newer building behind the historic front.

De Burcht

The De Burcht mound was raised in the 9th and 10th centuries. An 11th-century wooden fortification gave way in the second half of the 12th century to the stone ring wall that remains visible today.

Pieterskerk

A chapel here was consecrated in 1121; the present late-Gothic church took shape between 1390 and 1565. Pieterskerk is closely tied to the Pilgrims, Leiden University and Rembrandt's family history.

Hooglandse Kerk

An imposing late-Gothic church in the heart of the city, dedicated to St Pancras. Justinus van Nassau, illegitimate son of William of Orange, is buried here.

De Waag

The weigh house, opened in 1659, is a fine example of Dutch Classicism from Leiden's Golden Age. Merchants weighed and traded goods here for centuries; the last cheese was sold in 1972.

Het Gravensteen

The 'Count's Stone' was a fortified tower on the count's estate. Over the centuries it has been a prison, a community home and a book depository; today it belongs to Leiden University.

Sint Annahofje and the hofjes

Sint Annahofje is one of Leiden's historic courtyard communities. The city has more than 35 hofjes, many of them still lived in; only enter when visitor access is clearly permitted and always respect residents' privacy.

Wall poems

Since 1992 more than a hundred poems have been painted on Leiden's walls in dozens of languages, starting with Marina Tsvetaeva's poem on the Nieuwsteeg. They turn an ordinary walk between monuments into a multilingual open-air trail.

Plan a Leiden monuments walk

A practical route starts at Morspoort, follows Rapenburg to Pieterskerk and Gravensteen, then continues via Stadhuis to Hooglandse Kerk and De Burcht. Check the individual pages before entering: churches and historic buildings may also be working venues.

• Start at MorspoortHistoric city gate near Leiden Centraal
• Visit PieterskerkGothic church and Pilgrim history
• See Leiden City HallRenaissance facade on Breestraat
• Explore Hooglandse KerkGothic church beside De Burcht
• Continue through historic LeidenRembrandt, the university and the Pilgrims