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LEEUWARDEN Tourist Information
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The administrative and cultural capital in Friesland is Leeuwarden, and is located between the Frisian Lakes and the shores of the Wadden Sea. Formally an old market community, the settlement is known today for its two fabulous museums and the largest Veemarkt (cattle market) in Europe. Chartered in 1435, Leeuwarden was the center of a goldworking and silverworking industry from the 16th to the 18th century. There are still buildings and monuments that date from the 16th and 17th cent., notably the huge brick Oldehove Tower, home to the Frisian Museum.

The centre dates from the Middle Ages and is built on three artificial hills, to which people used to flee during periods of high tides. The City is built on a strategic spot on the shoreline, where the confluence of three rivers meets the sea. In the 16th century, Leeuwarden became a centre for agricultural trade and fortification canals (moats) were established. For hygienic reasons some of these canals had to be filled and covered at the end of the 19th century.

Leeuwarden is the town where Mata Hari was born, the renowned dancer and World War I spy. The city is a pleasant place with several interesting monuments and museums.

Set apart from the rest of the country in terms of language, culture and traditions, Friesland today is a remote wilderness of an area, home to the Frisian Islands, which are dotted off the Northwest coastline. Most areas offer an exhausting breadth of outdoor activities and sports.
 

 

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