Leiden is a beautiful city, located about 20 minutes from Den Haag. It is a medieval city with intact buildings and canals. My dad and I enjoyed a very nice day there.
In the 1570s, Leiden survived a siege by Spanish troops. About a third of its 15,000 inhabitants died of starvation and disease - it is reputed that the mayor of the city offered his own body to feed the inhabitants, perhaps to keep the support of the population to resist the Spanish. The leader of the Spanish troops, the Duke of Alba, was known for his cruelty - it was feared that surrender would be worse than starvation. The siege was eventually lifted on October 3, a date that is celebrated even today by the residents of Leiden with a day off and a massive street party.
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