LEEUWARDEN

Leeuwarden: translation

(frisianLjouwert)

Capital of the province of Frisia, with about 90,000 inhabitants. Originally, the city had a har bor on the Middelzee, but it silted up in the 14th century. After that, Leeuwarden remained an important center of a predominantly agrar ian countryside. During the period of the Republic, Leeuwarden was the seat of the most important administrative institutions: the court of the stadtholders Nassau-Dietz (until 1747), the assembly of the States of Friesland, and the Court of Justice. The city was also an im portant center of economic activity. After the foundation of the monarchy, Leeuwarden remained the capital of Frisia, a province with a strong cultural identity represented by the Frisian language. Several agrarian and nonagrarian industries, as well as some insur ance companies, are established in the city, which also houses three polytechnics, several famous museums, and the Fryske Akademy. The old collection of the closed FranekerUniversitylibraryis kept in Tresoar, the Frisian history and literary center.