Witweg: May 2013

Whitsun and time for the annual concerts in the 35 almshouses Leyden can boast of.

Here is a map of the almshouses I visited.

Although the almshouses may look like the Beguinages in Belgium, in Holland they were not built for women who were beguines, religious lay sisters of the Roman Catholic church not living in a convent. Often the houses were built by rich women and men who took pity on the poor, on single women and widows, and so provided a cheap and safe place for them to live. The almshouses were governed by a board of directors, men and women who decided who could live there and who couldn't, and who saw to it that the inhabitants strictly observed the rules and regulations. Although they were not religious institutions, but secular ones, in most cases the inhabitants had to be members of a protestant church. Many almshouses in Leyden are now inhabited by students. They are peaceful havens in the middle of a busy city.

A. Jean Michelhof, when it was still dry. Young singer, having trouble with her voice because of the damp weather.

For several years concerts have been organised in the courtyards and enclosed communal gardens of those almshouses during Whitsun. Two days long it is possible to go from one almshouse to the next to enjoy music. There is a classical route, a young talent route, a jazz route, a Spanish route etc. It is very enjoyable to be so close to the musicians, who are all talented. Some are just building up stage experience and fresh from the conservatories. On Whitsun itself, the Sunday, we experienced a few hours of summer and sunshine, from 10 am till 3 pm, a most welcome relief after this cold spring. I had visitors after church, so we didn't go into Leyden but enjoyed coffee and drinks in the garden, a first this year.

D. (hidden behind E on the map) Sint. Jacobshof (Roman Catholic, see noticeboard below). Typical entrance to an alsmhouse, which was often tucked away and accessible by a long passage behind a heavy wooden door.

On Whit Monday I and a friend went into Leyden to enjoy the concerts and see some of the almshouses which I am not so familiar with. Unfortunately the weather had changed completely and it was cold and very wet indeed! Instead of playing in those lovely gardens, when the rain came down in buckets after a few hours, the musicians had to take refuge in the covered gateways, amongst the parked bicycles of the inhabitants.

F. Barent van Namenhof. Spanish music in a covered bicycle shelter, next to the potplants

G.Bethlehemshof, the lute player in the room for the board of directors.

H.Tevelingshof.The harp tucked away in a corner of the bike shed

Not the romantic surroundings they had dreamt of. Most of them were very brave, and did not walk away but just continued to play with frozen fingers, shivering limbs and in draughty porches.

I saw quite a few almshouses I had not explored before, and I will certainly go back on a brighter day to have a better look. A saxophone player did his show irrespective of the weather. He walked around the courtyard, playing his sax, like the pied piper, under an umbrella held up by his companion, before giving his splendid recital under a canopy, a bright orange party tent.

D.Sint. Jacobshof, the sax player, undaunted!

F. Barent van Namenhof, sheltering under a party tent and umbrella's

When the festival was over, we were drenched, and tried to warm ourselves with "bitterballen" and a glass of wine in one of the few bars open on this special day, before returning home. A hot shower, dry clothes and piping hot soup were an excellent remedy against the cold.

E. Samuel de Zeehof

I. Schachtenhof

Hopefully next year will be kinder to us, because the festival is a marvellous event and the choice of music and locations so varied it is impossible to hear and see everything in just two days.

If one looks up when just walking around in the centre of an old Dutch town, one may discover a world of delights. There is hardly any country with such a wealth of gable stones and fanlights (or overlights). Think of Edam, Monnickendam, Hoorn, Enkhuizen , towns North of Amsterdam, and in the South of Heusden, Woudrichem, and even further south Veere, Middelburg and many other towns. Leyden also boasts many gable stones and a small book was published claiming to contain each and every of them in that old university town. In some places new gables stones are added, a delightful custom. The older gable stones often refer to the trades of the former inhabitants, with obvious signs for butchers, fishermen and milkmen or farmers. But the history of the colourful gable stones is not always clear. There is a website which aims to list all the gable stones, starting with Dutch cities and that accomplished extending their inventory to neighbouring countries.

Here are a few gable stones which I took photos of.