Maastricht, a university city on the southern tip of the Netherlands, is distinguished by its medieval-era architecture and vibrant cultural scene. Its cobbled old town is known for the Romanesque
Basilica of St. Servatius, housing a significant collection of religious art, and the Gothic-style church Sint Janskerk. Along the banks of the Maas River, bisecting the city, lies the futuristic-looking Bonnefanten art museum.
The Treasures of Saint Servatius
Built in the 6th century atop the grave of St. Servatius, the first Bishop of Maastricht, Roman Catholic St. Servaaskerk is the oldest church in the Netherlands. Highlights include the Imperial Hall and the Imperial Gallery, built between 1165-77, and the fine south doorway, the Bergportaal, with its
Biblical statuary from the 13th century. Other notable features include the cloister and the splendid vaulting of the nave and transepts added in the 14th and 15th centuries. The most important part of the old church, however, is its rich Treasury, now a museum called The Treasures of St. Servaaskerk. Prime exhibits include a variety of sacred objects, pictures, and statues, as well as the Late Romanesque chest reliquary housing the
remains of St. Servatius who died in 384 AD, a masterpiece of metalwork known as the Noodkist (Distress Chest) that's carried around the town whenever calamity threatens. Also of interest is the crypt, home to the tomb of Charles of Lorraine, a statue of Charlemagne, and the remains of a 12th-century altar.
Address: Keizer Karelplein 3, 6211 TC Maastricht
Official site: www.sintservaas.nl/english/index.html
Maastricht Church of St Servatius Map
Bonnefanten Museum
Housed in an ultra-modern building on the banks of the River Maas that resembles a 1950s version of a rocket ship, the superb Bonnefanten Museum is where you'll find Maastricht's most important art collections. Named after the museum's former convent home - it was known as the
Bonnefanten for its well-behaved children, the "bons enfants" - this palatial edifice with its massive conical tower (the aforementioned rocket ship) houses numerous paintings from the Dutch Masters as well as many Italian and modern works. The museum also boasts a rich collection of medieval art, including wooden sculptures from the 13th to 16th centuries. (English language guided tours are available with advance notice.)
The Basilica of Our Lady
The impressive Basilica of Our Lady (Basiliek van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw) was built around 1000 AD, although only a portion of the original survives. In about 1150, the crypts and the transepts were added, while the east choir was built in the early 1200s, followed by the gallery over the ambulatory. The fortress-like character of the Romanesque west work with its two stair turrets recalls the church's former function as part of the town's fortifications. The Late Gothic choir with its large crypt is particularly pleasing, as is the side chapel containing the
image of Our Lady Star of the Sea dating from the 15th century. Other features of interest are the west crypt, which belonged to the earlier church, the church treasury, the beautiful 16th-century cloister, and the west tower.
Address: Onze Lieve Vrouweplein 9, 6211 HD Maastricht
Mount Saint Peter and the St. Pietersberg Caves
Mount Saint Peter (Caestert Plateau), the northernmost section of a large plateau stretching between Maastricht and the city of Liège in Belgium, is well-known as a nature reserve and recreational area, as well as for the 18th-century Fort Sint Pieter. It's also famous for the St. Pietersberg Caves, a large system of tunnels and passages formed over many centuries by the quarrying of
local marlstone. Some 20,000 passages with a total length of 200 kilometers once existed here, some of them enlarged with storerooms, a bakery, and even a chapel during WWII. Best viewed as part of an English language guided tour (although self-guided tours are permitted), this
underground maze also offers the chance to see evidence of ancient fossils.
Museum aan het Vrijthof
In the picturesque Vrijthof, one of Maastricht's best-known city squares, Museum aan het Vrijthof is one of the city's most important museums. Housed in a 16th-century former home of the Dukes of Brabant, its collections include paintings, sculptures, furniture displays, and glasswork from Maastricht. Particular highlights are the Wagner-De Wit collection of works by 17th-century Dutch and Flemish artists, as well as paintings from members of the Hague School, plus sculptures from the Middle Ages. Free English language guided tours are available Wednesdays
from 2pm-3pm.
Walking in Maastricht: Wilhelminabrug and St. Servaasbrug
The Wilhelminabrug, a bridge built over the River Maas in the early 1930s, is a good place from which to begin a walking tour of Maastricht's picturesque riverside districts. From here, head to St. Servaasbrug, a splendid seven-arched 13th-century bridge notable for its statue of St. Servatius. Be sure to visit the historic Wijk District on the right bank of the Maas with its remnants of the old town wall. You'll eventually come to the old Town Hall
(Stadhuis) in the Markt. Built in the 1650s as a Cloth Hall, it's notable for its fine Neoclassical façade with a handsome doorway approached by an imposing double staircase designed to enable the two rulers of Maastricht, the Duke of Brabant and the Prince-Bishop of
Liège, to enter simultaneously. Notable features of the interior are its tapestries, stucco ornamentation, ceiling paintings, and fine chimneypieces.
The Old Town Walls and Hell Gate
A highlight of Maastricht's Old Town are the remains of the first circuit of town walls. Built around 1229, the wall's most impressive sections are Hell Gate (Helpoort) on St. Bernardusstraat, the oldest town gate in the Netherlands, and the Jeker Tower. Also of note is Onze-Lieve-Vrouwewal, a stretch of old wall offering fine views over the municipal park with its old cannons, as well as over the Maas. The remnants of the town's second circuit of walls date from around 1350.
Romantic Valkenburg
Home to the only hilltop castle in the Netherlands, Valkenburg - just 13 kilometers east of Maastricht - has long been a popular holiday resort thanks to its splendid spas. By far the most popular is Thermae 2000, one of the country's largest spa establishments and famous for its warm
spring-fed baths and pools, its healing mineral waters, and its botanical garden. The old town itself is fun to explore. Be sure to check out St. Nicolaaskerk, a Late Gothic church dating from the 14th century with a splendid triptych depicting scenes from the life of
St. Remigius. Other attractions in the old town are its numerous handsome old houses, such as 17th-century Huis Den Halder, and the even older 15th-century Huis Ost. Along the way, you'll also come to the old town walls, remnants of the 14th-century fortifications, along with the two town gates, the Grendelpoort and the Berkelpoort.
Natural History Museum
Although small, Maastricht's Natural History Museum (Natuurhistorisch Museum Maastricht) is worth a visit. In a former monastery in the historic Jekerkwartier district, it's notable for its displays
illustrating the geological development of the state of South Limburg through exhibits of fossils and local rock types. Highlights include a fascinating cabinet of curiosities where you'll find a rare example of a "rat king," a group of rats joined together by their tails. A
biological section with collections of regional flora and a botanical garden on the banks of the River Jeker are also of interest.
Address: De Bosquetplein 7, 6211 KJ Maastricht
Museumkelder Derlon
Another of Maastricht's smaller museums worth checking out is Museum Derlon. In the basement of the Derlon Hotel, the museum focuses on Roman ruins and artifacts dating from the 2nd to 4th centuries that were discovered during renovations in the early 1980s. A visit reveals
sections of the old Roman fort, as well a sanctuary that includes parts of a temple. Other highlights include a section of cobblestone road, believed to be of Celtic origin; the façade of a sanctuary entrance from around 150 AD; the base of a statue of Jupiter; remnants of the old Roman walls and gateway; and numerous items of pottery, glass, and metal.
Address: Kleine Staat 7, Maastricht
