University city Franeker
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Penthouse
The inspiring history of Franeker is visible in the city centre, with its grant monuments and small historic jewels. The church of Franeker has its own garden, with a fountain that portrays the birth room of the comets, and in the house of a simplecloud chamber you will find the oldest planetarium still in operation..
Ten tips in Franeker
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Tour tip
Tour tip
Kaats bicycleroute: discover more about the 'kaats' fields- and walls in Friesland.
Sterrenkijkers, Academici en Leren balletjes - Stargazing, Academics and Leather balls
Planets in a house
An clock, made from wood and thousants of nails and works like clockwork for centuries. Next to the bed of Eise Eijsinga sway the pedals that keep the radars running up and down since 1781. Even more, this clock doesn't only does not just show the days and months... Along the ceiling of the small livingroom turn six planets around the sun. Our solar system has been recreated precisly up to the last millimeter. On our whole planet, our earth, nowhere else you will find a planetarium that is so old and still functional.
A lesser known university
The university of Franeker is not the most well-known academy in the Netherlands. It is not even possible to graduate there anymore. We can thank that to Napoleon, who had the university dissolved. The amount of students had by then already been on a decline, together with the reputation of the 'suypacademy'. Still, the list of alumni still includes names suchas Descartes, Peter Stuyvesant and Willem IV van Oranje-Nassau. The buildinggot a new purpose thanks to former student Jelle Banga. As mayor and doctor, he rebuilded the old building so it could serve as a psychiatric hospital.
The sport of kaatsen
Hard balls made of leather that go across a field and coloured wooden blocks that keep track of the score. That is the Frisian sport of kaatsen. The sport gained popularity particularly in the klei (clay) area; the triangle between Leeuwarden, Harlingen and Franeker. In the cities and villages in this area, old and new wreaths decorate the facades of the winner as medals. They are the proud winners of 'kaats' competitions. the PC (or Permanent Commision of Franeker 'kaatsday') is the most important and probably oldest kaats competition that we know, which returns to the kaats playing fields of Franeker every year.
