Courtyard of Mrs. Van Aerden

The courtyard was built in 1770 in response to the will of Maria Ponderus, widow of Pieter van Aerden, who died in 1764 at the age of 92. It still offers accommodation to unmarried, Protestant ladies. In the regent's room there are several paintings from the estate of Maria Ponderus.

Maria Ponderus had stipulated in her will that the courtyard had to be founded, because her three children had died childless, and she had outlived all three. Although she herself had always lived in The Hague, the courtyard was founded in Leerdam, because an important branch of the van Aerdens lived in Leerdam and the surrounding area, and this branch was less prosperous than the Hague branch. Another reason was that the House of Orange made the land on which the castle of Leerdam had stood available.

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