Aanleggen van het jaagpad langs de Zijl bij Leiden 1683

This silver medal, created by Dutch medalist Jan (I) Smeltzing in 1683, commemorates the construction of the towpath along the Zijl canal near Leiden. The obverse depicts a detailed view of the city with its windmills and waterways, while the reverse features a figure representing the Netherlands, standing on a globe and holding a trident and wheat sheaf, symbolizing the nation’s maritime power and agricultural wealth. The medal serves as a fascinating historical record of a significant engineering achievement and a testament to the prosperity of the Dutch Republic in the 17th century.