Brochure - Leiden
Brochure - Leiden
Brochure - Leiden
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Rembrandt van Rijn, geboren in <strong>Leiden</strong><br />
| Rembrandt van Rijn, born in <strong>Leiden</strong><br />
History of <strong>Leiden</strong><br />
<strong>Leiden</strong>’s history stretches back a long way; long before our calendar<br />
started, people had settled on the banks of the Rhine. By 1200 the<br />
settlement had grown to such a size that the Count of Holland gave the<br />
people city rights, heralding the birth of the city of <strong>Leiden</strong>. At the end of<br />
the fifteenth century, <strong>Leiden</strong> was the biggest city in the county of Holland,<br />
mainly due to the international cloth industry for which the city was famous.<br />
The prosperity enjoyed by <strong>Leiden</strong> in this period is reflected in such imposing<br />
buildings as the Hooglandse kerk and the Pieterskerk.<br />
The Relief of <strong>Leiden</strong><br />
In the sixteenth century, the<br />
economic tide turned. It was the<br />
era of the Reformation, when<br />
Protestant movements were<br />
fiercely persecuted. In 1572,<br />
<strong>Leiden</strong> joined the Dutch revolt<br />
(led by the Prince of Orange)<br />
against the Spanish invaders,<br />
and the city was beseiged by the<br />
Kaart van <strong>Leiden</strong> 1860 | Citymap <strong>Leiden</strong> 1860<br />
<strong>Leiden</strong>s Ontzet, 3 oktober 1574 | The Relief of <strong>Leiden</strong>, 3 October 1574<br />
Spanish. The citizens fell prey to<br />
disease and hunger, and <strong>Leiden</strong><br />
almost fell into the hands of the<br />
Spanish, but on 3 October 1574<br />
the Spanish invaders fled and the<br />
troops of the Prince of Orange<br />
entered the city. They distributed<br />
food to the starving citizens: half<br />
a loaf of bread with cheese and<br />
herring for every person. This<br />
liberation, the Relief of <strong>Leiden</strong>,<br />
is still celebrated every year, right<br />
up to the present day, with a<br />
gigantic local party. As a reward<br />
for the city’s resistance during the<br />
Spanish occupation, William of<br />
Orange founded <strong>Leiden</strong> University<br />
on 8 February 1575.<br />
The keys to <strong>Leiden</strong><br />
<strong>Leiden</strong> is the City of Keys; the<br />
motif of keys can be seen all<br />
over the city. This dates back to<br />
1293 when a city seal depicting<br />
Saint Peter featured on official<br />
documents of the ‘stadt Leyde’. In<br />
his hand the apostle carries a key.<br />
The combination of Saint Peter<br />
and a key is a well-known symbol<br />
taken from the Bible (Matthew,<br />
16, v. 19), when Jesus says to<br />
Peter: ‘I will give you the keys to<br />
the City of Heaven.’ As early as<br />
1121 the Counts of Holland had<br />
a chapel built, dedicated to Saint<br />
Peter and Saint Paul. This is the<br />
present Pieterskerk.<br />
Rembrandt van Rijn<br />
Rembrandt van Rijn was born on<br />
15 July 1606 in the Weddesteeg<br />
in <strong>Leiden</strong>, where he lived for the<br />
first 26 years of his life. These<br />
were important years for him.<br />
He studied classics at the Latin<br />
school, then decided to become<br />
a painter. Having trained under<br />
Jacob Isaacsz Swanenburg,<br />
Rembrandt set himself up in<br />
<strong>Leiden</strong> as an independent artist.<br />
Many of his masterpieces were<br />
painted in his <strong>Leiden</strong> studio.<br />
A painting from his <strong>Leiden</strong><br />
period can be seen in the<br />
Museum De Lakenhal.<br />
history of <strong>Leiden</strong> 7