Leeuwarden

Leeuwarden Ljouwert
City and municipality
Former weigh house in Leeuwarden
Flag Coat of arms
Location of the municipality (green) in the province of Friesland (dark grey) in the Netherlands (light grey)
Coordinates: 53°12′N 5°47′E / 53.200°N 5.783°E / 53.200; 5.783Coordinates: 53°12′N 5°47′E / 53.200°N 5.783°E / 53.200; 5.783
Country	Netherlands
Province	Friesland (Fryslân)
Government
• Body	Municipal council
• Mayor	Ferd Crone (PvdA)
Area
• Municipality	166.99 km2 (64.48 sq mi)
• Land	151.70 km2 (58.57 sq mi)
• Water	15.29 km2 (5.90 sq mi)
Elevation	3 m (10 ft)
Population (Municipality, May 2014; Urban and Metro, May 2014)
• Municipality	108,249
• Density	714/km2 (1,850/sq mi)
• Urban	108,254
• Metro	174,724
Demonym(s)	Leeuwarder
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postcode	8900–8941
Area code	058
Website	www.leeuwarden.nl

Leeuwarden (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈleːʋ.ɑrdə(n)], West Frisian: Ljouwert [ˈʎɔːw(ə)t], Stadsfries: Liwwadden) is a city and municipality with a population of 108,249 in Friesland in the Netherlands. It is the provincial capital and seat of the States of Friesland.

The oldest remains of houses in the city date back to the 2nd century AD. Leeuwarden has been permanently inhabited since the 10th century. It was granted city privileges in 1435. The city was liberated from German occupation in World War II by The Royal Canadian Dragoons in 1945. It is the economic hub of the province of Friesland, situated in a green and water-rich environment, with lakes, villages and recreational areas. Leeuwarden is a former royal residence and has a historic centre, many listed buildings, and a large shopping centre with squares and restaurants. Leeuwarden has been awarded the title European Capital of Culture 2018.

One important cultural and historical event is the (Eleven Cities Tour), an ice skating-tour of eleven cities in Friesland, starting and finishing in Leeuwarden.

Besides the city of Leeuwarden, population centres in the municipality with a population of 1,000 or more are Grou, Goutum, Wergea, Jirnsum, Reduzum, and Wirdum. The municipality is governed by the mayor Ferd Crone () and a coalition of the Labour Party, Christian Democratic Appeal, and PAL-GroenLinks.