Leeuwarden

Leeuwarden, capital of the Dutch province of Friesland, stands on the Harlingen and Groningen Canal, 113 miles by rail NNE. of Utrecht. It contains handsome law-courts and town-hall, has an ancient palace of the Princes of Orange, a library with valuable archives, and a dozen churches. Linen fabrics, mirrors, pianofortes, and wagons are manufactured. Leeuwarden is one of the largest fruit and cattle markets in Holland, and does considerable trade in agricultural produce, groceries, wine, and brandy. Pop. (1875) 27,108; (1896) 31,598. In the 13th century it was situated on an arm of the sea, which subsequently sanded up. See Havard, Dead Cities of the Zuyder Zee (1876).