Leiden
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RECIPE FOR MAKING THE COLOUR BLUE
If you wish to make the colour blue
take a piece of sky and put it in a pot
large enough to place on the flame of the horizon.
Stir into the blue a pinch of early morning red
until it dissolves. Pour everything
into a brass bowl that has been well washed
to eliminate all of the afternoon’s impurities.
Finally, sift in a few smidgens of gold from the sand
of midday until the colour adheres to the bottom of the bowl.
To prevent the colours from separating with time,
drop a charred peach pit into the liquid.
It will disintegrate, leaving no telltale
sign, not even – from the black ash – an ochre trace
on the golden surface. You may then raise the colour
to eye level and compare it with genuine blue.
The two colours will look so alike
that you cannot distinguish one from the other.
This was how I did it – I, Abraham ben Judah Ibn Haim,
illuminator from the town of Loulé. And I left the recipe
for whoever, one day, would imitate the sky.
Nuno Judice
Translation: Richard Zenith
The Galgewater is a part of the Oude Rijn in the Dutch city of Leiden, and also the name of the street in the center of Leiden along this water.
Because Leiden’s historical center did not suffer that much during the second World War, it offers many historical sights to see. The city offers over 2500 historical sights, which of course you cannot all see in one day. However, to make most of your day and get to see as much as you can without rushing it, I advise you to rent a bike. This way, you can easily move around, and you’ll save a lot of time compared to traveling by foot or public transport.
As for which sights to visit, it is impossible to list all you should visit. However, there are a couple that stand out. To mention a few, ‘The fortress’ is definitely worth a visit. This is one of the oldest still existing fortresses in The Netherlands, and is a beautiful ancient sight. Next to this, make sure you sure you visit the Pieterskerk and the Hooglandse Kerk. These are respectively Leiden’s largest church and the largest church that is still in use.
Museums
Leiden offers many sights outdoors, but is does not end there. Indoors there is also much to see, as the city offers many different kinds of museums. Which museum you should visit of course depends on what your interests are. If you are into science, Museum Boerhaave is your best option. If you’re personally more captured by archeology, you should definitely go to Rijksmuseum van Oudheden. Finally, Museum Volkenkunde (‘ethnology’) is definitely worth a visit. If all of these examples provided don’t look appealing to you, there is no reason to be sad: there are still many different museums located in Leiden. There should be at least one that suits your taste ;).
The Gravensteen was built in the early 12th century. It served as the (private) escape tower of the Counts of Holland and later as the count's and urban prison, who themselves regularly lived in the adjacent fortified farmhouse (Huize Lokhorst). In 1463, Philip the Good donated the building to the city of Leiden, after which it was given the function of urban prison and prison for Rhineland. Death sentences were from that moment on the square in front of the Gravensteen, the current Court, executed. In 1556 the Gravensteen was expanded with a cell block that is still intact. In 1598 the prison was provided with a disciplinary house and in 1655 with a spider and rasp house. At the end of the nineteenth century, the building increasingly fell into disuse. The last death penalty was carried out here in 1856.
In 1955 the Gravensteen was given a new function: the building became a book warehouse. The function of the building soon changed again. Leiden University was struggling with a lack of space and started using the building. The Legal History Department of the Faculty of Law, in particular, was housed here in a place rich in history. Since 2006, the International Office of Leiden University has been located in this building, since 2011 the Student and Educational Affairs department.