A walking tour through the story
Nine places from this story lie within walking distance of each other in Leiden’s historic city centre. Walk the route in this order, or open each place separately and put together your own route — Google Maps will work out the walking time for you.
Open the whole walking route in Google Maps ↗-
1
Jean Pesynhof
Kloksteeg 21
The hofje itself, built between 1683 and 1686 from the estate of Jean Pesyn and Maria de Lannoy, on the land known as the Groenepoort (Green Gateway) or English Gate.
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2
Leiden American Pilgrim Museum
Kloksteeg 16a
A small museum in the former sexton’s house of the Pieterskerk, in the same street as the hofje, about the Pilgrim Fathers in Leiden.
View on Google Maps ↗ Museum website ↗ -
3
Pieterskerk
Kloksteeg 16
Directly next to the hofje. John Robinson, leader of the English Separatists, was buried here in 1625.
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4
Gravensteen
Pieterskerkhof 6
A medieval building from the early thirteenth century on the Pieterskerkhof: first a refuge tower of the Counts of Holland, later the city prison. It has stood empty for a long time and can be seen from the outside.
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5
Jean Michielshof
Pieterskerkstraat 8–12
A hofje created by buying existing houses around a gateway rather than building new ones — the example mentioned in the text alongside the Jean Pesynhof.
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6
Oude Singel 60
Oude Singel
Jean Pesyn and Maria de Lannoy themselves lived on this site.
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7
Vrouwekerk – Church of Our Lady (ruin)
Vrouwenkerkhof 1
Jean Pesyn was buried here in 1666, next to his daughter; Maria de Lannoy followed in 1681. The Pilgrim Philippe de Lannoy was baptised here in 1603.
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8
Pieter Loridanshof
Loridanshof
This hofje too was founded by will in 1655, with twelve houses for Walloon couples. Jean Pesyn was a regent here from 1663 until his death in 1666. Note the round chimney on the gatehouse and the gallery in the garden. The hofje later belonged to the Walloon Church and was sold in the 1960s; the proceeds helped to restore the Jean Pesynhof.
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9
Jeruzalemhof
Kaiserstraat 49
The oldest hofje in Leiden, founded in 1467 — the end of the route.
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The order is a suggestion based on location in the city; in Google Maps you can drag stops into a different order or skip them.