What is the oldest university in the Netherlands?
Leiden University
Leiden University (abbreviated as LEI; Dutch: Universiteit Leiden), founded in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands.[5] The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The Dutch Royal Family and Leiden University have a close association: Queen Juliana, Queen Beatrix and King Willem-Alexander are former students. The university came into particular prominence during the Dutch Golden Age, when scholars from around Europe were attracted to the Dutch Republic due to its climate of intellectual tolerance and Leiden's international reputation. During this time Leiden was home to such figures as René Descartes, Rembrandt, Christiaan Huygens, Hugo Grotius, Baruch Spinoza and Baron d'Holbach.
Agnietenkapel
The Athenaeum Illustre served as an intermediate stage between Latin school and the university. It did not award academic degrees, as each province was allowed only one university, and Holland already had a university at Leiden. Gerardus Vossius and Caspar Barlaeus held their inaugural lectures as professors of the Athenaeum Illustre on 8 and 9 January 1632, respectively. Every morning from 9 to 11 o' clock, the professors gave public lectures in Latin in the large lecture hall on the first floor - the oldest lecture hall of Amsterdam.