Leeuwarden. The famous places in the Netherlands

Unfortunately, interesting Dutch provinces like Friesland are extremely rare in a tour program to the Netherlands. Meanwhile, this land, whose inhabitants speak a certain Frisian language, is very special and deserves the attention of travelers.

The capital of Friesland and the largest population center in the region is Leeuwarden, where at present some 94,000 people live. Once in these places a navigable river flowed, by the beach, in the second century of the Christian era, a settlement emerged. In the Middle Ages the city became the main trading center of the region, entering the Hanseatic Union along with cities like Hamburg, Lübeck and Danzig (Gdansk). Even after the river is almost completely dry, it has not lost its meaning - it lies the residence of Nissan charts that performs the city's beauty, opens channels, as well as erects a protective structure.

The new stage in Leeuwarden's life began in the nineteenth century: during this period the railway line was built here, and then a toll road was built. In addition, several industrial companies opened in the village, including the famous dairy factory, where ice cream, cheese, yogurt and other products were produced. The role of this branch of economics in the life of a citizen is evidenced by an interesting monument, set in one of Leeuwarden's square: he describes a cow with a brief "Our Mother" on the base.

At the beginning of the first half of the 20th century, local authorities took their protection not only individual monuments but also integral architectural ensembles, such as medieval streets, 19th century urban development areas or canals with bridges thrown across them. Now Leeuwarden is considered one of the most authentic cities in the Netherlands, where you can see the sights of different eras.

The iconic monument of the capital Friesland is Oldjeve - the tower falls, its slope even greater than similar buildings in Pisa. This construction began to stand in the mid-XVI century on a hill where in the 9th century there was a wooden church St. Vitus. However, due to the difficult terrain, the tower immediately starts tilting sideways, despite the fact that the builders are trying to strengthen it, overlapping with new and new layers of red brick.

In the end, in 1533 it was decided to leave the unfinished building (by that time the height had reached 40 m), and since then the falling tower has been the main attraction of the city. The extraordinarily beautiful place of Leeuwarden is the Old Square, where the Renaissance mansions have been preserved, among them former office buildings, and St. Boniface. A landmark of our time is the 115-meter-tall skyscraper, Ahmea, where Leeuwarden's panoramic view and surroundings are open.

Leeuwarden is an important cultural center in the region: the Museum of History opened, with its rich library, Ceramic Gallery, Museum of Indigenous Peoples in these places - Frisia and other museums. Talking about Leeuwarden is hard not to mention the most famous native people in this city - legendary dancer and spy tease Mata Hari, whose fate still excites many hearts.

In the travel agency catalog, you can find numerous proposals for Central European countries, from Benilux school tours and ending with exclusive journeys. The program with a stop at Leeuwarden will attract the attention of seasoned tourists who love to open new towns.