Around 1600 thousands of immigrants came to Leiden. Most of them were refugees. So in 1611 the city expanded on this side. A stone tablet at the corner of Nieuwe Beestenmarkt states that this expansion scheme was a ‘promised land’ for both the city government and the newcomers.

This triangular square was turned into a cattle market in 1616. Trees provided shade for the animals in the summer. Farmers came to Leiden from far and wide to sell their stock. In the beginning this was largely cattle, but ultimately the trade in sheep became much bigger. The ringing of a bell was the sign that dealing in livestock could begin. This is why in 1734 a bell was put in place between numbers 9 and 10 on Beestenmarkt. This was known as the ‘Sheep Bell’. Since 2008 it has again hung in its original place.

The Leiden livestock market became one of the largest in the country. In 1969 it moved from
the open air to a special hall. The foot-and-mouth disease crisis of 2001 marked the end of the
Leiden market.