Van Leiden Castle

Van Leiden Castle is the oldest preserved castle in the Netherlands. It is located in the city of Leiden on the place where the two arms of the Rhine River merge, and is located on a hill. Van Leyden Castle was built around the year 1000. Archaeological excavations have shown that at first there was a wooden building. Over time, the castle was built in stone, expanded its territory, raised the wall. The castle turned into a real fortress.

Now the castle rises high above the city, the height of the hill is 12 meters. Several times this unique medieval castle was reconstructed. The last restoration took place in 2010, when the walls were updated and covered with special protection from rain. This kind of repair of the fortress should be carried out every 40-50 years to preserve it. Van Leiden Castle is a historic monument and is protected by the state.