Maastricht facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
MaastrichtAltstadt
Old town of Maastricht looking over the river Maas.
LocatieMaastricht
Location of Maastricht in the Netherlands.

Maastricht (Limburgish: Mestreech) is a city in the south of the Netherlands. It is the capital city of the province of Limburg. About 120,000 people live there. Maastricht has an airport and a university.

The first settlement in that region was founded in the Stone age about 25000 years ago, the first permanent settlement was founded by the Celts about 500 B.C. Maastricht got City Rights in 1204. Since 1815, after the Napoleonic Wars, Maastricht belongs to the Netherlands. The European Contract of 1992 was signed in Maastricht.

History

The first settlement was about 25000 years ago. Real permanent settlements (and not just hunter gatherers) were founded at least as early as 5000 B.C. 4000 years after that, the Celts built a settlement in Maastricht. They presumably worshipped a River God. A Roman city was built around 0 AD, making Maastricht the oldest city of the Netherlands (together with Nijmegen). In this time, Maastricht was called Trajectum ad Mosam. This means Road across the Maas. A Roman bridge in Maastricht connected the west with the east, making Maastricht a very strategic point. This bridge - located at Eksterstraat - collapsed in the 13th century, and was replaced by the famous St. Servaas bridge.

In the early middle-ages Maastricht was very important in the spreading of Christianity in the Netherlands. In the 4th century, the bishop St. Servaas was the first bishop in the Netherlands, and the Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk (which also is the oldest still standing building in the Netherlands) could be described as the root of Christianity in the Netherlands. Servaas' remains are still kept in Maastricht in a tomb.

Maastricht received its City Rights fairly early, in 1204. It was of strategic importance during the Eighty Years War and the Napoleonic Wars. Therefore, Maastricht has two forts; Fort St. Pieter and Fort St. Jan. Maastricht also had city walls. Remains of those walls can still be seen today (notably the Helpoort is one the few still standing City Ports).

Maastricht axb01
Statue of Minckeleers at Boschstraat

In the beginning of the 20th century, Maastricht was an industrial city, with many factory's. Jan Pieter Minckeleers - a scientist from Maastricht - was the first to discover Coal Gas, making the first city lights available. In 1940, Maastricht was conquered by the German forces. However, many paintings were hidden in the caves at Sint Pietersberg - a steep hill in the south-west of Maastricht. Even De Nachtwacht was hidden there. Maastricht was liberated on 14 September 1944. In 1992 Maastricht was the host-city for the 1992 European Treaty, where the EU was officially formed and a decision was made about the Euro.

Topography

Maastricht is located on both sites of the river Maas in the south-east of The Netherlands and the south-west of the province of Limburg. Maastricht lies in a valley, the Maasvalley, so hills surround the city. On the south-west of the city, the famous St. Pietersberg is located. On the western edge of the city, there is no space between the city and the Belgian border. On the east, is the Savelsbos (a forest). Neighbouring municipality's are Eijsden and Visé (B) in the south, Lanaken (B) and Riemst (B) in the west, Meerssen and Valkenburg in the north, and Margraten in the east.

Traffic and public transport

The city can easily be reached. There is a highway (A2; E25) running from the south to the north (within the Netherlands, this highway runs from Eijsden to Amsterdam). Another highway also begins in Maastricht, the A79 (going to the east). Maastricht has two train stations (Maastricht and Maastricht Randwyck). Trains are going to Amsterdam, Heerlen, Roermond, and Brussels (B). Plans are made to re-establish the old train route to Lanaken (B). If this connections is to be made again, Maastricht will be accessible from all directions by train.

A few kilometres north of Maastricht, is the Maastricht Aachen Airport. That's the second airport of The Netherlands.

Map NL Maastricht - CBS7delen
Districts according to CBS

Areas

Maastricht is divided into many areas. The areas Heer, Amby, St. Pieter, and Wolder used to be individual villages, but are now (for a few decades) part of Maastricht. According to the Dutch central bureaus of statistics (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek; CBS), Maastricht can be divided into seven larger districts. These are:

  1. Centre. (areas: Binnenstad, Jekerkwartier, Kommelkwartier, Statenkwartier, Boschstraatkwartier, Sint Maartenspoort, Wyck)
  2. South-West. (Villapark, Jekerdal, Biesland, Campagne, Wolder, Sint Pieter)
  3. West. (Brusselsepoort, Mariaberg, Belfort, Pottenberg, Malpertuis, Caberg, Oud-Caberg, Malberg, Dousberg-Hazendans, Daalhof)
  4. North-West. (Boschpoort, Bosscherveld, Frontenkwartier, Belvédère, Lanakerveld)
  5. East. (Wyckerpoort, Heugemerveld, Wittevrouwenveld, Nazareth, Limmel, Scharn, Amby)
  6. North-East. (Beatrixhaven, Borgharen, Itteren, Meerssenhoven)
  7. South-East). (Randwyck, Heugem, Heer, De Heeg, Vroendaal)

Images for kids

  • OLV-01

    View of Maastricht from the church tower of Saint John's

  • Maastricht - rijksmonument 527161 - Museumkelder Derlon 20100821

    Remains of Roman baths at Onze Lieve Vrouweplein

  • Maastricht-Bellomonte

    View of Maastricht, coloured engraving by Philippo Bellomonte, 1580/82

  • MaquetteMaastricht

    Maquette of Maastricht in 1750

  • Boschstraat Sphinx, 1865

    Early industrial developments, 1865

  • Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1984-093-27, Westfeldzug, Übergang über die Maas

    German soldiers near a damaged bridge

  • Jekerkwartier07

    Typical street in the Jekerkwartier, part of the ancient Maastricht city centre.

  • Maastricht-plaats-OpenTopo

    Dutch Topographic map of Maastricht, March 2014

  • Enci2

    ENCI quarry

  • RandwyckNoordKantoren07

    Office park Randwyck-Noord

  • Provincial Government Buildings on the Meuse

    Provincial Government Buildings

  • Maastricht 2008 OLV Wall

    Onze-Lieve-Vrouwewal (medieval city wall)

  • Vrijthof in Maastricht

    Vrijthof with Saint John's Church (left) and Saint Servatius Basilica

  • Maastricht 659 (8325565556)

    Onze Lieve Vrouweplein

  • 20130504 Maastricht 06 Stadhuis

    Markt and town hall

  • 20130504 Maastricht Céramique seen from West bank of the Meuse 01 Bonnefantenmuseum

    The landmark tower of the Bonnefanten Museum on the east bank of the Meuse river in Wyck-Céramique

  • FortStPieter57

    View of Maastricht from the fortress on Mount Saint Peter

  • Jekerdal met Wijngaarden

    Jeker valley with vineyard

  • Spaans Gouvernement Maastricht

    Museum aan het Vrijthof

  • MaastrichtNoodkist04

    Medieval chest of Saint Servatius in the Treasury of the Basilica of Saint Servatius

  • Maastricht, TEFAF2014-13

    TEFAF, Maastricht's prestigious art fair

  • 13th century Dominican church converted into a bookstore in Maastricht, the Netherlands

    13th-century Dominican church converted into a bookstore in Maastricht

  • Faliezustersklooster Rijks 26964

    A small park near Faliezustersklooster

  • 20130504 Maastricht Stadspark 05 Vijver

    A pond in Stadspark, Maastricht's main park

  • Maastricht 2008 Sint Pieter

    Panoramic view from Mount Saint Peter

  • Maastricht, Dousberg03

    View of the Dousberg recreational area

  • N2 Maastricht

    A2 motorway in Maastricht

  • Panoramio - henkiedenkie - Station Maastricht - 2009

    Maastricht main railway station

  • Maastricht Aachen Airport

    Maastricht Aachen Airport

  • Maastricht University - Campus Randwyck

    Maastricht University, Campus Randwyck

  • Maastricht, Oud Gouvernement02

    Students at work at UM Law School

  • Kasteel Bethlehem

    Hotel Management School at Bethlehem Castle

  • 20071012Minckelers

    Jan Pieter Minckeleers

  • Henriette-d'Oultremont

    Henrietta d'Oultremont

  • Maastricht - Victor de Stuers - Kruisherengang 12 - 20100717

    Victor de Stuers

  • Andre Rieu 2010

    André Rieu

  • Willy Brokamp 1973c

    Willy Brokamp

  • Sint Servaasbrug2

    Saint Servatius Bridge

  • Dinghuis

    Dinghuis

  • Maastricht, het stadhuis foto10 2011-01-30 12.07

    Townhall

  • Maastricht 2008 Mosae Forum

    Mosae Forum

  • Maastricht 2008 Saint Servatius Basilica

    Saint Servatius Basilica

  • Maastricht platz vor liebfrauenkirche

    Onze-Lieve-Vrouweplein

  • Apsis Onze Lieve Vrouwkerk Maastricht

    Basilica of Our Lady

  • Maastricht 2008 Lang Grachtje

    Lang Grachtje

  • Maastricht 2008 Hells Gate

    Helpoort ("Hell's Gate")

  • Maastricht 2008 Father Vink Tower

    Pater Vink Tower

  • Maastricht - rijksmonument 28017 - rondeel Haat en Nijd 20100522

    Bastion Haet ende Nijt

  • 20130504 Maastricht Stadspark 03 Jeker

    Stadspark

  • Maastricht 2008 City Park 02

    Stadspark

  • Maastricht 2008 Jeker River

    Jeker river

  • Bassin12

    Bassin harbour

  • Maastricht, kerk in westelijk stadsdeel 2007-04-27 12.26

    Saint Lambert Church

  • Maastricht, station

    Wyck, train station

  • Maastricht, Stationsomgeving04

    Wyck, Stationsplein

  • Maastricht 2008 High Bridge

    Hoeg Brögk, Céramique

  • 20130504 Maastricht Céramique 09 Charles Eyckpark

    Charles Eyckpark

  • 20130505 Maastricht Céramique 01

    Public library

  • Maastricht2013, Avenue Céramique02

    Siza's Tower

  • Maastricht 2008 Fortress Sint Pieter 02

    Fortress Sint Pieter

  • 20130504 Maastricht Slavante 02 Walls of Slavante

    View from Slavante

  • Lichtenberg-002

    Castle ruin Lichtenberg

  • Maastricht - rijksmonument 27963 - Huis de Torentjes - Lage Kanaaldijk 63 20100515

    Huis de Torentjes

  • SintPietersbergWegLangsGroeve009

    ENCI quarry

  • KasteelCastle Neercanne

    Château Neercanne

  • SintPietersbergPanorama001

    View on Cannerberg


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Maastricht Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.