Low-angle view of the Burcht van Leiden gateway arch. A heraldic lion clutching a crossed-keys shield sits atop the stone parapet; Latin inscription panels frame the arch. Behind, a red-brick steeple with a slate-roofed spire and star finial rises against clear blue sky. The date 1658 is carved into the stonework.

Burcht van Leiden Gateway Arch — Heraldic Lion and 1658 Datestone

29 April 2025 · Leiden walk towards, in and around Burcht

Leiden's civic coat of arms holds court above the Burcht gateway arch — the heraldic lion gripping its crossed-keys shield cut sharp against a clear Dutch sky. The sandstone inscription panels record the building's commissioners in Latin; the red-brick steeple with its star finial rises behind, dated 1658 in the stonework. Civic authority and architectural ambition pressed into a single gateway: the ornament carries the argument, the structure makes it permanent.

View in The Signature Collection