Silent witnesses

In a quiet corner of Leiden, one of the oldest university towns in the Netherlands, there is a remarkable sight: dozens of bicycles, seemingly left to their fate. These bikes, once symbols of mobility and freedom, now stand dusty and forgotten, a silent witness to the fast-paced urban dynamics.

The Netherlands is renowned worldwide for its cycling culture, and in cities like Leiden, the bicycle is the preferred mode of transportation for many residents and students. However, sometimes these bicycles are left behind after a move, a trip, or simply out of neglect. What once served as a useful means of transport often ends up abandoned, gathering in corners, forgotten and overlooked.

The Leiden city administration makes efforts to regularly remove these neglected bicycles, freeing up space for new parking spots and keeping the surroundings tidy. Yet the collection of these forsaken bikes highlights how deeply bicycles are embedded in Dutch life—even when they are no longer in use. They tell stories of people who once rode through the narrow streets of the city, moved from lecture to lecture, or enjoyed the beauty of the canals. | Netherlands