LEEUWARDEN

'Leeuwarden' (, Stadsfries: 'Liwwadden', Frisian: 'Ljouwert') is a municipality and the capital city of the Dutch province of Friesland. It is situated in the north of the country.

Contents

Population centres

The city of Leeuwarden

History

Government

Sites

Education

Sports

Famous people from Leeuwarden

Transport

References

External links

Population centres

Goutum, Hempens, Leeuwarden, Lekkum, Miedum, Snakkerburen, Swichum, Teerns, Wirdum, Stiens, and Wytgaard.

The city of Leeuwarden

History

The area has been occupied since the 10th century (although recently, remains of houses dating back to the 2nd century AD were discovered during a dig near the Oldehove), and was granted a town charter in 1435. Situated along the 'Middelzee', it was an active trade centre, until the waterway dried out in the 15th century. In 1901 the city had a population of 32,203.
Famous natives of Leeuwarden include stadtholder William IV of Orange, graphic artist M. C. Escher, and dancer-spy Mata Hari, as well as the theologian Dr. N.H. Gootjes.
During World War II, after extensive occupation by the German forces, on April 15th, 1945, the Royal Canadian Dragoons, disobeying direct orders, gallantly charged into the heavily defended city and defeated the Germans, who were driven out by the next day.

Government

Leeuwarden, as capital of the province of Friesland, is seat of the provincial authorities.

Sites

Well-known buildings in the city centre include the ''Kanselarij'' (the former chancellery), the ''Waag'' (old trade centre of the city), the church of St. Bonifatius and the leaning tower ''Oldehove''. One of the eye catchers in the city centre is the ‘Achmea building’ (it belongs to Achmea insurance) which is near the train station. The Achmea building is the tallest building in the city.
Leeuwarden is also the site of the country's largest cattle market, and on Ascension Day, the largest flower market in the Netherlands is held here.

Education

Leeuwarden has a number of reputed technical schools (HBO in Dutch), such as the Van Hall Instituut (agricultural and life sciences), the Christelijke Hogeschool Nederland (economical and educational studies) and the Noordelijke Hogeschool Leeuwarden (any mainstream study).
Although the city has no university, several dependencies are located here, including the Wageningen University, Universiteit Twente and the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. About 16.000 students, among them an increasing number of foreign students, study at technical schools. Besides higher education, the city is also home to two regional vocational schools (''MBO''): the ''Friese Poort'' and ''Friesland College''.

Sports

Leeuwarden holds the celebrated Elfstedentocht, a 200km-long speed skating race, whenever canals freeze. It last happened in January 1997, preceded by 1985 and 1986. The city's local soccer team, Cambuur Leeuwarden plays in the 1st Division of the professional Dutch soccer league. In the season 2005/06, the club nearly escaped from a bankrupt. Its ''Cambuurstadion'' opened in 1995.

Famous people from Leeuwarden

★ Saskia van Uylenburg

★ J. Slauerhoff

★ Johannes Henricus Gerardus Jansen

★ Maurits Cornelis Escher

★ Mata Hari

★ Piet Paaltjens

★ Pieter Jelles Troelstra

★ Willem van Haren

★ Cornelis Adriaan Lobry van Troostenburg de Bruyn

★ Lodewijk Caspar Valckenaer

★ Hans Vredeman de Vries

★ Querelle Jansen

★ Cisca Dresselhuys

★ Harm Wiersma

Transport

Train routes with starting number of the train number series:

★ 500 IC Den Haag Centraal / Rotterdam Centraal - Groningen / Leeuwarden

★ 700 IC Schiphol / Amsterdam Centraal - Groningen / Leeuwarden

★ 30000 R Leeuwarden - Stavoren

★ 30100 R Leeuwarden - Harlingen Haven

★ 30200 R/D Groningen - Leeuwarden

References

External links

★ Official Website

★ Official site of the Stichting Bonifatiustoren.