Sittard-Geleen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sittard-Geleen Zittert-Gelaen  (Limburgish)
Municipality
Sittard market square
Flag
Location in Limburg
Country	Netherlands
Province	Limburg
Established	1 January 2001
Government
• Body	Municipal council
Area
• Municipality	80.53 km2 (31.09 sq mi)
• Land	79.02 km2 (30.51 sq mi)
• Water	1.51 km2 (0.58 sq mi)
Elevation	47 m (154 ft)
Highest elevation	100 m (300 ft)
Population  (Municipality, May 2014; Urban and Metro, May 2014)
• Municipality	93,736
• Density	1,186/km2 (3,070/sq mi)
• Urban	135,255
• Metro	148,217
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode	6120–6167
Area code	046

Sittard-Geleen is a town located in the southeastern part of the Netherlands. It was created in 2001 by combining three smaller towns: Sittard, Geleen, and Born.

Today, about 92,650 people live here (as of January 2024). This makes it the third largest town in the Limburg province, after Maastricht and Venlo. Since 2020, the town has been led by a group of political parties working together. These include the Christian Democrats, GreenLeft, and local parties GOB and Stadspartij.

The main road connecting Sittard and Geleen, called the Rijkswegboulevard, has been changed to be very friendly for bikes and walking. There are wide paths just for cycling and walking. Smaller roads that cross it have to yield to this main path. The car lanes are now narrower, and there are small parking areas along the side.

Sittard-Geleen is special because it is right next to two other countries. To the west, it shares a border with Belgium, and to the east, it borders Germany.

Towns and Villages in Sittard-Geleen

Dutch topographic map of the municipality

The municipality of Sittard-Geleen includes several smaller towns and villages. These are:

• Abshoven
• Born
• Broeksittard
• Buchten
• Einighausen
• Geleen
• Graetheide
• Grevenbicht
• Guttecoven
• Holtum
• Limbricht
• Munstergeleen
• Windraak
• Obbicht
• Papenhoven
• Schipperskerk
• Sittard

Famous People from Sittard-Geleen

Many interesting people have come from Sittard-Geleen. They have made a name for themselves in different fields like art, science, and politics.

Artists and Thinkers

• Charles of Mount Argus (1821–1893) was a priest who became a saint. He was born in Munstergeleen.
• Frederic Adolph Hoefer (1850–1938) was a Dutch general. He also collected military items and worked as an archivist.
• Godfrid Storms (1911–2003) was a professor who taught about old English literature.
• Willy Dols (1911–1944) studied languages, especially different dialects and how sounds are made in speech.
• Toon Hermans (1916–2000) was a famous Dutch comedian, singer, and writer.
• Thea Fleming (born 1942) is a Dutch film actress.
• Paul Derrez (born 1950) is an artist who designs jewelry. He also owns a gallery and collects art.
• Wim Heldens (born 1954) is a Dutch painter known for his realistic style.
• Francine Houben (born 1955) is a Dutch architect.
• Mike van Diem (born 1959) is a Dutch film director. He grew up in Sittard.
• Rineke Dijkstra (born 1959) is a Dutch photographer famous for her portraits.
• Caspar Poyck (born 1973) is an actor, public speaker, and chef.
• Mo'Jones (formed 2000) is a funk, soul, and pop band from Sittard.

Leaders and Public Figures

• Rein Willems (born 1945) was the president of Royal Dutch Shell from 2003 to 2007.
• Jan Cremers (born 1952) is a former Dutch politician and sociologist.
• Laurence Stassen (born 1971) is a politician and used to be a TV presenter.
• Myrthe Hilkens (born 1979) is a journalist, writer, and politician.

Sports Stars from Sittard-Geleen

Sittard-Geleen has also produced many talented athletes who have competed at high levels, including the Olympics.

Football and Handball

• Leo Horn (1916–1995) was a well-known international football referee.
• Huub Stevens (born 1953) is a football manager and used to be a defender.
• Wilbert Suvrijn (born 1962) is a retired Dutch footballer.
• Lambert Schuurs (born 1962) was a handball player and also a long-distance runner.
• Wil Boessen (born 1964) is a retired Dutch football player and now a manager.
• Ton Caanen (born 1966) is a Dutch football manager.
• Benjamin van den Broek (born 1987) is a New Zealand international footballer.
• Sjoerd Winkens (born 1983) is a former professional footballer.
• Perr Schuurs (born 1999) is a Dutch football player.

Other Sports

• Jan Krekels (born 1947) is a retired cyclist. He won an Olympic gold medal in 1968.
• Arnold Vanderlyde (born 1963) is a former Dutch boxer. He won three bronze medals at the Summer Olympics.
• Rens Blom (born 1977) is a Dutch pole vaulter. He competed in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics.
• Maartje Paumen (born 1985) is a former Dutch field hockey player. She won two Olympic gold medals and one silver medal.
• Rob Bontje (born 1981) is a volleyball player who competed at the 2004 Olympic Games.
• Dominick Muermans (born 1984) is a Dutch racing driver.