On 1 July 2026, the Leeuwarden Poetry Route was expanded with a 72nd poetry stone. The stone is a gift from Rotary Club Leeuwarden Nijehove to mark their seventh lustrum (35th anniversary). Rotary member Peter de Haan, who is also a board member of Stichting Poëzietableaus Leeuwarden, was the initiator of the project.
The poem on the stone was written by Judith Nieken, a poet who lives in the area. She is known for her striking ‘window poems’ throughout Leeuwarden. Informateur Sybrand Buma even left a poem of hers behind in the Dutch House of Representatives after completing his task.
The poem reflects on the long history of Nijehove, one of the three terps (dwelling mounds) from which medieval Leeuwarden emerged. The stone was given a prominent place in the city, next to the Oranjepoortje: the entrance to the Grote Kerk that was originally reserved for the Nassau stadtholders and their retinue.
The Leeuwarden Poetry Route is unique in the Netherlands. Spread throughout the city are 72 poems on bluestone plateaus of 120 by 180 cm, many written by acclaimed poets. More information and the (translated) poems can be found at www.poezieroute.nl.
