Van der Werffpark
Van der Werff was considered one of the great heroes during the Spanish Siege of Leiden in 1574.
This park is the result of a disaster. On January 12, 1807, a ship loaded with gunpowder exploded here in the Steenschuur. An entire residential area was wiped out by the enormous explosion. Approximately 160 people were killed and another 2,000 were injured. After the explosion, the disaster area remained undeveloped for a long time. In 1884, a statue of Mayor Van der Werff was erected on the so-called ‘Great Ruin’, surrounded by a park. Van der Werff was considered one of the great heroes during the Spanish Siege of Leiden in 1574.
