The Hortus Botanicus Leiden of the university has an orangery, tropical and subtropical plants and a laburnum from 1601. The lily leaves of the Victoria Amazonica are very special.
It is the oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands, founded in 1590 mainly to research medicinal plants.
The garden was founded by Clusius, who introduced the tulip to the Netherlands.
Not all greenhouses are open to the public because a university garden is where scientific research is done.
The statue near the Hortus is of Mayor van der Werff, who gave his life instead of surrendering Leiden to the Spaniards. Every year on October 3, the victory is festively celebrated with herring and white bread.