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Leidschendam-Voorburg facts for kids

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Leidschendam-Voorburg
The Vliet through Leidschendam
The Vliet through Leidschendam
Flag of Leidschendam-Voorburg
Flag
Coat of arms of Leidschendam-Voorburg
Coat of arms
Highlighted position of Leidschendam-Voorburg in a municipal map of South Holland
Location in South Holland
Leidschendam-Voorburg is located in Netherlands
Leidschendam-Voorburg
Leidschendam-Voorburg
Location in Netherlands
Country Netherlands
Province South Holland
Established 1 January 2002
Government
 • Body Municipal council
Area
 • Total 35.62 km2 (13.75 sq mi)
 • Land 32.70 km2 (12.63 sq mi)
 • Water 2.92 km2 (1.13 sq mi)
Elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (May 2014)
 • Total 73,543
 • Density 2,249/km2 (5,820/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
2260–2275
Area code 070, 071

Leidschendam-Voorburg is a town in the western part of the Netherlands. It is located in the province of South Holland, just northeast of The Hague. In 2014, about 73,543 people lived there. The town covers an area of 35.62 km2 (13.75 sq mi), including 2.92 km2 (1.13 sq mi) of water.

How Leidschendam-Voorburg Started

The municipality of Leidschendam-Voorburg was created in 2002. It was formed by joining two towns: Leidschendam and Voorburg. These two towns had grown closer together during the first half of the 1900s.

The municipality also includes a village called Stompwijk and a small settlement known as Wilsveen. Leidschendam-Voorburg is right next to The Hague. Many people see it as a suburb of The Hague, even though it is its own independent town. Stompwijk is still a quiet, rural village located a few kilometers northeast of Leidschendam.

Old Town Centers

Gem-Leidschendam-Voorburg-OpenTopo
Map of Leidschendam-Voorburg in 2015

Both Leidschendam and Voorburg have their own old town centers. These historic areas are not in the very middle of the modern town.

  • The historic part of Leidschendam is found around the old locks in the Vliet canal. This is in the eastern part of the town.
  • About 3 kilometers south, you'll find the start of the Herenstraat. This is the main street of the Voorburg town center. Most of Voorburg's center is between this street and the Vliet canal. Important buildings like Swaensteyn House and the Old Church are very close to the Herenstraat.

Mall of the Netherlands

In 2019, the Leidsenhage shopping mall in Leidschendam finished a big renovation. It was made much larger, covering 117,000 square meters. The mall also got a new name: "Westfield Mall of the Netherlands". It's a very popular place for shopping and entertainment.

Sister Cities

Leidschendam-Voorburg has "sister city" relationships with other towns. This means they share cultural and educational ties.

  • Czech Republic Hranice, Czech Republic (since 1990)
  • Poland Konstancin-Jeziorna, Poland (since 1991)

The municipality also used to be a sister city with Temecula in California, United States, from 1993 to 2019.

Getting Around

Swaensteyn, Raadhuis van Leidschendam-Voorburg, Nederland, Town hall of Voorburg, Netherlands
The old town hall (Swaensteyn) on Herenstraat, Voorburg

Public Transport

Trains

Leidschendam-Voorburg has three train stations. These stations connect the town to major cities in the Randstad area. The main station is Voorburg station. It's on the train line that goes from The Hague to Utrecht.

Two other stations are on the Rotterdam-Amsterdam line. They are located near the border with The Hague:

  • Den Haag Laan van NOI (for some faster Intercity trains and local trains)
  • Den Haag Mariahoeve (only for local trains)

Light Rail

Leidschendam-Voorburg also has two stations for the RandstadRail system. RandstadRail is a special light rail project. It connects The Hague, Rotterdam, and Zoetermeer. These lines use old train tracks that have been changed for light rail vehicles.

The RandstadRail lines are sometimes called "tram 3 and 4" to Zoetermeer. The line to Rotterdam is part of the Rotterdam metro (line E). The stations in Leidschendam-Voorburg are Voorburg 't Loo and Leidschendam-Voorburg. RandstadRail also stops at the Den Haag Laan van NOI train station.

Buses and Trams

Two main bus companies operate in this area: HTM and EBS. There are also several tram lines run by HTM. These trams connect different parts of the town with each other and with nearby cities.

Roads

Leidschendam-Voorburg is connected to two major highways:

  • The A4 highway goes from Amsterdam to the Belgian border.
  • The A12 highway goes from The Hague to the German border.

These two highways cross each other near the center of Voorburg.

The N14 is a dual carriageway. It connects the A4 highway at Leidschendam to another road (the N44) at Wassenaar. This road goes through several tunnels in the municipality. The N14, along with part of the A4 and other local roads, forms the Ring Den Haag, which circles The Hague.

Bike Paths

Like all towns in the Netherlands, Leidschendam-Voorburg has many great facilities for cyclists. For example, on the eastern side of town, there are two large bridges just for bikes. These bridges cross over different roads and canals.

Famous People

RoderickVonhogen2011
Roderick Vonhogen, 2011
Carla Dik-Faber 2018
Carla Dik-Faber, 2018
Johan De Meij
Johan De Meij, 2016
Puck Brouwer 1950
Bertha "Puck" Brouwer, 1950
Christiaan van Velzen 1980
Christiaan van Velzen, 1980
FrankBeuken-JVG2011091933
Gerben Karstens, 2011

Many interesting people have connections to Leidschendam-Voorburg. Here are a few examples:

Public Service

  • Guillaume Groen van Prinsterer (1801 in Voorburg – 1876): A Dutch politician and historian.
  • Willem Scholten (1927 – 2005 in Leidschendam): A politician who held several important government jobs.
  • Theo van Boven (born 1934 in Voorburg): A legal expert and professor in international law.
  • Maxime Verhagen (born 1956): A Dutch politician who was Deputy Prime Minister. He lives in Voorburg.
  • Father Roderick Vonhögen (born 1968 in Leidschendam): A Roman Catholic priest who is also a podcaster and new media producer.
  • Carla Dik-Faber (born 1971 in Voorburg): A Dutch art historian and politician.

Arts and Culture

  • Marcellus Emants (1848 in Voorburg – 1923): A Dutch novelist known for his realistic writing style.
  • Willem van Genk (1927 in Voorburg – 2005): A Dutch painter known for his unique "Outsider Art."
  • Xander de Buisonjé (born 1973 in Voorburg): A Dutch singer and TV presenter.
  • Johan de Meij (born 1953 in Voorburg): A Dutch conductor, trombonist, and composer.
  • Ariane Schluter (born 1966 in Voorburg): A Dutch film actress.

Sports

  • Bertha Brouwer (1930 in Leidschendam – 2006): A Dutch sprinter who won a silver medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics.
  • Gerben Karstens (born 1942 in Voorburg): A former professional racing cyclist who won a team gold medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics.
  • Peter Blangé (born 1964 in Voorburg): A retired volleyball player who won silver and gold medals at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics.
  • Eljero Elia (born 1987 in Voorburg): A Dutch professional football player.
  • Daryl Janmaat (born 1989 in Leidschendam): A professional football player.
  • Inge Janssen (born 1989 in Voorburg): A Dutch rower who won a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
  • Dylan van Baarle (born 1992 in Voorburg): A Dutch cyclist who won famous races like Paris-Roubaix.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Leidschendam-Voorburg para niños

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