‘t Zwanennest

The mural is located on the side wall of the Zwanennest. This house on the Morsweg houses 8 varsity rowers from the K.S.R.V. “Njord”. The house’s name, which can be seen written in bold black letters on top of the painting, is derived from the boat club’s guardian animal: a swan, Njörðr’s sacred animal.

The K.S.R.V. “Njord” was named after Njörðr, a god from Norse mythology. This is a widespread tradition amongst boat clubs in the Netherlands, with, amongst others, D.S.R.V. “Laga” in Delft, A.R.S.R. “Skadi” in Rotterdam, and G.S.R. “Aegir” in Groningen. The sacred creatures of Njörðr, the god of the wind and of the sea and its riches, are a swan and a seagull. As with many places in Leiden, seagulls regularly visit Njord - but it was the swan that was chosen as the logo for the boat club Njord, as well as for the Zwanennest. After all, the swan provides a perfect metaphor for rowing: “on the surface, it is all grace, but underneath the bastard's paddling like mad!”