Mouse Towers Leerdam
The beautiful south ramparts with their small towers testify to Leerdam's long history as a fortified city. The city wall and its four gates are thought to have been built in the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries, and the bases of the towers, known as the ‘mouse towers’ (Muizentorentjes), date from the same time. These were designed to protect the wall against ice surges and the waters of the Linge river. In times of war, cannons were positioned atop the ‘mouse towers’ to defend the city. But how did they get this name? Around 1837, a quay was constructed here and houses were built in what remained of the ruined old towers along the wall. Unfortunately, people were afraid to live in them, since the enemy could simply cross the water into your house. Consequently, the towers stayed vacant, making them a haven for mice and rats. Hence the name ‘mouse towers’! These days, the towers are in use, some residentially, and one as a cute and cosy coffee and tea shop.
Medieval tips
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Stedehuys in Woerden
Stedehuys in Woerden
Woerden's civic museum is established in the old town hall, still called the Stedehuys. This grand building dates back to 1501 and offers plenty to explore both inside and out. Its most important room was the sheriff and aldermen's chamber, where cases were heard and judged. The old pillory on which offenders were shamed on the building's façade is a relic of this court function and can still be seen outside.
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Duurstede Castle
Duurstede Castle
Visit Duurstede Castle, one of the country’s earliest medieval castle ruins, situated in a fairy-tale setting of beautiful parkland.
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Witches’ Weigh House in Oudewater
Witches’ Weigh House in Oudewater
Oudewater's most important historic building is the old weigh house, or ‘Waag’. For hundreds of years, people have been coming to the Oudewater weigh house to be weighed on the ancient scales and obtain an official certificate testifying that their weight is ‘normal’.