Leiderdorp, South Holland, Netherlands

🇳🇱 Leiderdorp is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland near the city of Leiden.

The municipality covers an area of 12.28 km² (4.74 sq mi) of which 0.70 km² (0.27 sq mi) is water. Leiderdorp has now become a suburb of the city of Leiden, although the Oude Rijn (Old Rhine) river and the Zijl river separate the two. The HSL-Zuid high-speed rail line between Amsterdam and Brussels crosses Leiderdorp in a tunnel.

It is one of the oldest towns in South Holland province and was a base for the Spanish army in the Eighty Years' War.

History Excavations have shown that as early as during the Iron Age in the area of current day Leiderdorp hunters and fishers roamed around and lived on the dry places around the river.

Roman Period The Rhine, which passes through Leiderdorp, functioned as the Northern border of the Roman Empire. Close to Leiderdorp, the Romans built a fort, Matilo. Around the fall of the Western Roman Empire the Romans retreated from the area.

History: Middle Ages During the middle ages, the first permanent settlement appeared. The Rhine served as a connection between the sea and the hinterland, and there is evidence of trade taking place. During the late Middle Ages three castles were built in Leiderdorp, Huis ter Zijl (1260), Huis ter Does (around 1300) and Huis Berendrecht (around 1420).

In 1396 the Augustinian monastery Engelendael was founded. The monks copied books, cared for the sick and worked the fields. The monastery was abandoned in 1574, but its legacy is still present as the arterial road of Leiderdorp is called Engelendaal.

Eighty Years' War In 1492 the first bridge crossing the Rhine was built. In 1514 Leiderdorps population had grown to 500. During the Siege of Leiden Leiderdorp was the headquarters of the Spanish General Francisco de Valdez, who ultimately failed to capture the city. In 1620 the Protestant Dorpskerk (town church) is constructed. The Dorpskerk celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2020 with a series of concerts and exhibitions.

1700-1940 From 1597 till 1795 Leiden had administrative rights over Leiderdorp, which led to the town becoming even more dependent on the larger city. In 1795 Leiderdorp decreases in size as the neighbouring Leiden expands. A rope factory was constructed in 1806, and in 1862 the first school was established on the Hoofdstraat (main street). A shipyard was constructed in 1877, and in 1915 social housing designed by famous Dutch architect Willem Marinus Dudok was erected.

Second World War During the Second World war a bunker was constructed in the neighbouring fields, and a pen factory and community centre were destroyed to make way for it. The spires of one of the churches was used as a sniper's nest.