Maastricht Mestreech
—  Municipality  —
Panorama of Maastricht, with the Vrijthof Square below
Flag Coat of arms
Coordinates: 50°51′N 5°41′E / 50.85°N 5.683°E / 50.85; 5.683
Country	Netherlands
Province	Limburg
COROP	South Limburg
Area (2006)
- Total	60.06 km2 (23.2 sq mi)
- Land	56.80 km2 (21.9 sq mi)
- Water	3.26 km2 (1.3 sq mi)
Population (30 June, 2008)
- Total	117,548
- Density	1,957/km2 (5,068.6/sq mi)
	Source: CBS, Statline.
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)

Coordinates: 50°51′N 5°41′E / 50.85°N 5.683°E / 50.85; 5.683 Maastricht (Dutch (southern) & locally [maːstʀɪçt] or Dutch (northern) [maːstʁɪχt]( listen); Limburgish (incl. Maastrichtian) Mestreech [məˈstʀeːç]; French Maëstricht (archaic)) is a city and a municipality in the southern part of the Dutch province of Limburg, of which it is the capital. The city is situated on both sides of the Meuse river (Dutch: Maas) in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border. The city is part of the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion, a Euregio whose other main cities include Aachen, Germany and Hasselt and Liège in respectively Dutch-speaking and French-speaking Belgium. The municipality borders the Dutch municipalities of Meerssen to the north, Margraten in the east, Eijsden in the south whilst it borders the Belgian municipalities of Lanaken and Riemst in respectively the west and southwest.

Nowadays, Maastricht is widely known as a centre of tradition, history and culture^[1], and popular with tourists for shopping and recreation. It is the location for various educational, with some partial to fully anglophone, establishments including the Maastricht University (including the University College Maastricht), the Maastricht School of Management, parts of Zuyd University of Applied Sciences (including the Maastricht Conservatory, Academy of Dramatic Arts Maastricht and Hotelschool Maastricht) and a United World College. Consequently the city has a large international student population.

Contents 1 Etymology 1.1 "Oldest city of the Netherlands" dispute 2 History 2.1 Middle Ages 2.2 Bulwark of the Netherlands 2.3 Part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands 2.4 20th century 2.5 21st century 3 Institutions and education 4 Economic aspect 5 Neighbourhoods 6 Politics 7 Sports 8 Transportation 8.1 By car 8.2 By train 8.3 By airplane 8.4 By boat 8.5 By bus 9 Culture & tourism 9.1 Events & Festivals 9.2 Museums in Maastricht 9.3 Sights of Maastricht 9.4 Local anthem 10 Natives of Maastricht 11 International relations 11.1 Twin towns — Sister cities 12 See also 13 Impressions 14 References 15 External links

[edit] Etymology

The city's name is derived from Latin Trajectum ad Mosam or Mosae Trajectum, meaning "Mosa-crossing", and refers to the bridge over the Meuse river built by the Romans during the reign of Augustus Caesar.

A resident of the city is referred to as a Maastrichtenaar in Dutch whilst in the local Maastrichtian dialect as either a Mestreechteneer or the colloquial Sjeng (derived from the French name Jean).

[edit] "Oldest city of the Netherlands" dispute

There is some discussion as to whether Maastricht is the oldest city of the Netherlands: By some Nijmegen is considered to be the oldest mainly because it was the first settlement in the Netherlands to receive Roman city rights. Maastricht never received Roman city rights but as a settlement it may be considerably older.

The Maastricht claim is furthermore based on the city's unbroken chain of habitation since Roman times. A large number of archeological finds confirms this. Nijmegen has a gap in its history: There is practically no evidence of habitation in the early Middle Ages.

[edit] History

Paleolithic remains have been found to the west of Maastricht, between 8,000 and 25,000 years old. Celts lived here at least 500 years before the Romans came, at a spot where the river Meuse was shallow and therefore easy to cross. The Romans later built a bridge and a large road to connect the capitals of the Nervians and Tungri, Bavay and Tongeren, with the capital of the Ubians, Cologne.

Saint Servatius was the first bishop of the Netherlands. His tomb, in the crypt at the Basilica of Saint Servatius, is a favoured place of pilgrimage: Pope John Paul II visited it in 1985. The golden gilt shrine containing some of the saint's relics is carried around the town every seven years. The city remained an early Christian bishopric until it lost this position to nearby Liège in the 8th century.

[edit] Middle Ages

In the early Middle Ages Maastricht was part of the heartland of the Carolingian Empire. It later developed into a city of dual authority, a condominium (international law), with both the Prince-Bishopric of Liège and the Duchy of Brabant holding joint sovereignty over the city. It received city rights in 1204.

The role of the Dukes was occupied by the Dutch States General from 1632 onwards when the city was taken from the Spanish by Frederik Hendrik. The important strategic location of Maastricht in the Dutch Republic resulted in an impressive array of fortifications around the city.

[edit] Bulwark of the Netherlands

The most famous Siege of Maastricht occurred here during the month of June, 1673 as part of the Franco-Dutch War, because French battle supply lines were being threatened. During this siege, one of history's most famous military engineers, Vauban, synthesized the methods of attacking strong places, in order to break down the fortifications surrounding Maastricht. His introduction of a systematic approach by parallels resulted in a rapid breaching of the city's fortifications. (This technique, in principle, has remained until the 20th century the standard method of attacking a fortress.)

After the breaching of the fortifications occurred, Louis XIV's troops started to surround the city of Maastricht. Under the leadership of Captain-Lieutenant Charles de Batz de Castelmore, also known as Comte d'Artagnan, the historical basis for Alexandre Dumas' D'Artagnan Romances, the First Company of Mousquetaires du Roi prepared to storm a rampart located in front of one of the city's gates. D'Artagnan was killed by a musket shot on 25 June 1673 during a night attack on the Tongerse Gate (this event was portrayed in Dumas' novel The Vicomte de Bragelonne).

Maastricht surrendered to French troops on 30 June. The French troops occupied the Dutch city from 1673 to 1678. It was subsequently restored to Dutch rule. The French again took the city in 1748 as part of the War of Austrian Succession, and again the city was restored to the Dutch that same year. The French would return once more in 1794, when they annexed the city to what would become the French Empire. Maastricht became the capital of the French département of Meuse-Inférieure.

[edit] Part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

After the Napoleonic era, Maastricht became a part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815 and the capital of the newly formed Province of Limburg. When the southern provinces sought independence from the North to form Belgium in 1830, the garrison in Maastricht remained loyal to the Dutch king, though the surrounding countryside came under Belgian control. Arbitration by the Great Powers in 1831 awarded the city and the eastern part of Limburg, despite being geographically and culturally closer to Belgium, to the Netherlands and the rest to Belgium. The North and the South did not initially agree to this and it would not be until the 1839 Treaty of London that this arrangement became permanent.

Because of the resulting eccentric location Maastricht often remained more focused on Belgium and Germany than on the rest of the Netherlands. Due to its proximity to the Walloon industrial basin, Maastricht industrialised earlier than most of the Netherlands. It thus retained a distinct non-Dutch character until the First World War forced the city to look northwards.

[edit] 20th century

The city did not escape World War II: it was quickly taken by the Germans on 10 May 1940 during the Battle of Maastricht, but on 14 September 1944, Maastricht was the first Dutch city to be liberated by allied forces.

The latter half of the century saw a decline of the traditional industries and a shift to more services-oriented economy. Maastricht University was founded in 1976. In 1992, the Maastricht treaty was negotiated and signed here, leading to the creation of the European Union and the Euro.^[2]

[edit] 21st century

In recent years, several international conferences were held in Maastricht, like the OSCE-summit in 2003, and several other gatherings during the Dutch chairmanship of the European Union in 2004.

Under current mayor Gerd Leers, Maastricht has launched a campaign against various drug-related problems. The popular and often-praised Leers instigated a controversial plan to move several of the coffee shops - where soft drugs can be purchased in limited quantities - from the center to locations on the outskirts of Maastricht, in a bid to stop (foreign) buyers from entering the city and causing trouble.

However, the plan did not go down well with neighboring municipalities, who fear the problems may simply come their way. As of July 2008, it is uncertain if the so-called 'coffee corner' will indeed be created on the periphery of Maastricht, a determined mayor notwithstanding.^[3]

On a more positive note, large parts of the city center were thoroughly refurbished under Mayor Leers, including the area near the railway station, the Market Square, the Entre Deux shopping center and the Maasboulevard. Maastricht looks notably fresher as a result and more large-scale projects are underway, such as the redevelopment of the Sphinx and Belvedère areas.

[edit] Institutions and education

• Administration of the Dutch province of Limburg;
• Rijksarchief Limburg - archive of the province of Limburg;
• Maastricht School of Management;
• Maastricht University (Dutch: Universiteit Maastricht) also including:
  • University College Maastricht
• United World College Maastricht- formerly the International School Maastricht, it recently became the 13th United World College in September 2009;
• Zuyd University of Applied Sciences (Dutch: Hogeschool Zuyd, also has departments in Sittard and Heerlen) also including:
  • Academy of Dramatic Arts Maastricht (Dutch: Toneelacademie Maastricht)
  • Academy of Fine Arts Maastricht (Dutch: Academie Beeldende Kunsten Maastricht)
  • Hotelschool Maastricht
  • Maastricht Conservatory (Dutch: Conservatorium Maastricht)

[edit] Economic aspect

Private companies settled in Maastricht include:

• ENCI - cement industry
• Sappi - South African Pulp and Paper Industry
• Hewlett-Packard - previously Indigo, manufacturer of electronic data systems
• Vodafone - mobile phone company
• DHL - international express mail services
• Mercedes-Benz - customer contact center for Europe
• Pie Medical - manufacturer of medical equipment
• CardioTek - manufacturer of medical equipment for Cardiac electrophysiology procedures
• BioPartner Center Maastricht - life sciences spin-off companies
• European Journalism Centre- nonprofit media center

[edit] Neighbourhoods

Maastricht consists of over 40 neighbourhoods. These are in alphabetical order:

• Amby
• Beatrixhaven, Belfort, Belvedère, Biesland, Binnenstad (the city centre), Borgharen, Boschpoort, Boschstraatkwartier, Bosscherveld, Brusselsepoort
• Caberg, Campagne, Céramique
• Daalhof, De Heeg
• Eyldergaard
• Hazendans, Heer, Heugem, Heugemerveld
• Itteren
• Jekerdal, Jekerkwartier
• Kommelkwartier
• Limmel
• Malberg, Malpertuis, Mariaberg
• Nazareth
• Oud-Caberg
• Pottenberg
• Randwyck
• Scharn, Sint Maartenspoort, Sint Pieter, Statenkwartier
• Villapark
• Vroendaal
• Wittevrouwenveld, Wolder, Wyck, Wyckerpoort

Neighbourhoods have a number which corresponds to the postal code.

Amby, Borgharen, Heer, Itteren, Limmel, Oud-Caberg, Scharn, Sint Pieter and Wolder all used to be separate municipalities or villages until they were annexed by Maastricht.

[edit] Politics

Election results of 2006: council seats

Party	Seats	Compared to 2002
PvdA	13	+5
CDA	7	-4
GroenLinks	5	0
VVD	3(4)	-1
SP	3	+1
Senioren	3	0
D66	2	0
Stadsbelangen	2	-1
Liberalen Maastricht	1	0
Total	39	–

The municipal government of Maastricht consists of a city council, a mayor and a number of aldermen. The city council, a 39-member legislative body directly elected for four years, appoints the aldermen on the basis of a coalition agreement between two or more parties after each election. The 2006 municipal elections in the Netherlands were, as often, dominated by national politics and led to a shift from right to left throughout the country. In Maastricht, the traditional broad governing coalition of Christian Democrats (CDA), Labour (PvdA), Greens (GroenLinks) and Liberals (VVD) was replaced by a centre-left coalition of Labour, Christian Democrats and Greens. Two Labour aldermen were appointed, along with one Christian Democrat and one Green alderman. Due to internal disagreements, one of the VVD council members left the party in 2005 and formed a new liberal group in 2006 (Liberalen Maastricht). The other opposition parties in the current city council are the Socialist Party (SP), the Democrats (D66) and two local parties (Stadsbelangen and Seniorenpartij).

The aldermen and the mayor make up the executive branch of the municipal government. The mayor of Maastricht is Gerd Leers, a Christian Democrat, who was appointed by the Crown, upon recommendation by the city council, for his second six-year term in 2008. Later that year, Leers was one of the candidates to become mayor of the city of Rotterdam. The city council, however, chose the former Amsterdam alderman Ahmed Aboutaleb to become Rotterdam's next mayor.

One controversial issue which has characterized Maastricht politics for years and which has also affected national and even international politics, is the city's approach to soft drug policy. Under the pragmatic Dutch soft drug policy, a policy of non-enforcement, individuals may buy and use cannabis under certain conditions from so-called 'coffeeshops' (cannabis bars). Maastricht, like many other border towns, has seen an growing influx of so-called 'drug tourists', mainly young people from Belgium and France, who provide a large amount of revenue for the coffeeshops in the city centre. The city government, most notably mayor Leers, have been actively promoting drug policy reform in order to deal with its negative side effects.

Under one of the latest proposals, the so-called 'CoffeeCorner' plan proposed by mayor Leers,^[4] the city council unanimously voted in November 2008 to relocate most of its coffeeshops from the city centre to the outer limits of the municipality, where the sale and use of cannabis can more easily be monitored. The purpose of this plan is to reduce the effects of drug tourism on the city centre, such as parking problems as well as the more serious issue of the illegal sale of hard drugs by so-called 'drug runners' in the vicinity of the coffeeshops. The CoffeeCorner plan, however, has met with fearce opposition from neighbouring municipalities and from the national government in the Netherlands, where the Christian Democrats take a notably more conservative approach to soft drugs than their local party and mayor. Bordering towns and the federal government in Belgium have also opposed the city's policy, citing Maastricht's plan to move the coffeeshops towards the Belgian borders as a violation of European law. The plan has been the subject of various legal challenges and has not yet been carried out.

[edit] Sports

• In football, Maastricht is represented by MVV (Maastrichtse Voetbal Vereniging), currently playing in the Dutch first division - which is actually the second for the top-level division is known as Eredivisie or Honorary division. MVV plays in the Geusselt stadium near the A2 motorway.

• Maastricht is also home to the Maastricht Wildcats, an American Football League team and member of the AFBN (American Football Bond Nederland).

• Maastricht has been the traditional starting place of the annual Amstel Gold Race - the only Dutch cycling classic - since 1998. From 1991 to 2002, the race also finished in Maastricht, but since then the finale takes places on the Cauberg in Valkenburg.

[edit] Transportation

[edit] By car

Maastricht is mainly served by the A2 and the A79 motorways. The city can be reached from Brussels and Cologne in approximately 1 hour and from Amsterdam in about 2.5 hours.

The A2 motorway that runs through Maastricht is heavily congested and increasingly causes air pollution in the urban area. A large tunnel currently being planned should solve these problems by 2016.^[5]

Due to the high number of visitors, parking in the city centre forms a major problem during weekends and bank holidays despite several large underground car parks. Parking fees are therefore deliberately kept high in order to incite visitors to use public transport or 'park & ride' facilities further away from the centre.

[edit] By train

The Dutch Railways serves both the main station of Maastricht and a station located near the business and university district (Maastricht Randwyck). A railway branch passes through Maastricht that runs south to Liège, Belgium and north into the rest of The Netherlands, where it has a branch to Heerlen. The old westbound railway line going to Hasselt (Be), is currently being restored. As of June 2009, the Dutch part of this international line has been finished, with tests being conducted in July 2009. This line will also be Limburg's first modern Tram-line. The Tram function (going through to Maastricht Randwyck), will be opened in 2012.^[6][7]

Intercity trains to the city of Alkmaar or Schagen in the province of North-Holland connect Maastricht directly with Eindhoven, Den Bosch, Utrecht, Amsterdam, and several other cities. Commuter trains furthermore cover the regional area, and an international intercity train connects Maastricht with Liège and Brussels in Belgium.

[edit] By airplane

Maastricht is served by nearby Maastricht Aachen Airport - often known as Beek locally - with scheduled flights to Alicante, Girona, Pisa and popular holiday destinations (e.g. Turkey) during the summer season. The airport is located about 10 kilometres north of Maastricht's centre.

[edit] By boat

Maastricht has a river port on the Meuse river, and is connected with Belgium and the rest of the Netherlands through the Juliana Canal and the Zuid-Willemsvaart.

[edit] By bus

Various buslines serve the vast majority of the city and its suburbs. The regional bus network furthermore stretches to most parts of South Limburg as well as to Hasselt, Tongeren and Liège in Belgium, and Aachen in Germany.

[edit] Culture & tourism

[edit] Events & Festivals

• Carnival (Dutch: Carnaval, Limburgish and Maastrichtian: Vastelaovend) - a traditional 3-day festival in the southern part of the Netherlands (Feb/March).
• 11de van de 11de - the official start of the carnival season (November 11).
• KunstTour - an annual art festival.
• Amstel Gold Race - an annual large international cycling race with start in Maastricht (April).
• TEFAF - The European Fine Art Fair is the world's leading art and antiques fair (March).
• Preuvenemint - a large culinary event held on the Vrijthof square (August).
• Winterland - a winter-themed fun fair and Christmas market held on the Vrijthof square (December/January).
• Inkom - the traditional opening of the academic year and introduction for new students of Maastricht University (August).
• Maastrichts Mooiste - an annual running and walking event.
• Jazz Maastricht - a jazz festival formerly known as Jeker Jazz.
• Jumping Indoor Maastricht - an international concours hippique.
• André Rieu Vrijthof concerts- the famous Maastricht violin player and orchestra director André Rieu traditionally gives a series of concerts on Vrijthof square (Summer).

Furthermore, the Maastricht Exposition and Congress Centre (MECC) hosts many events throughout the year.

[edit] Museums in Maastricht

• Bonnefanten Museum - the foremost museum for old masters and contemporary fine art in the province of Limburg.
• Natuurhistorisch Museum - exhibits collections relating to geology, paleontology and the flora and fauna of Limburg.
• Spanish Government Museum - features several period rooms with 17th and 18th-century furnishings, silverwork, porcelain, pottery, glassware and so forth, and a collection of 17th and 18th-century Dutch paintings.
• Derlon Hotel Museum - a museum with Roman remains, uniquely preserved in the basement underneath a hotel.

[edit] Sights of Maastricht

Maastricht is known for its picturesque squares, romantic streets, and historical buildings. The main sights include:

• City Fortifications, including:
  • Helpoort - a 13th century town gate, the oldest in the Netherlands.
  • fragments of the first and second medieval city walls.
  • Hoge Fronten (English: High Fronts) or Linie van Du Moulin - remnants of 17th-18th century fortifications with a number of well-preserved bastions and the early 19th century [fortress] Fort Willem.
  • Casemates - underground network of tunnels, built as sheltered emplacements for guns and cannons. These tunnels run for several miles underneath the city's fortifications. Guided tours available.

• Markt - the Market Square was completely refurbished in 2006-2007 and is now virtually traffic free. Sights include:
  • town hall - built in the 17th century by Pieter Post.
  • Mosae Forum - a brandnew shopping centre and civic building designed by Jo Coenen and Bruno Albert. Included in Mosae Forum are MosaeGusto!, a 3.500 m² fine food market and Citroën Miniature Cars, the world's largest exposition of Citroën miniature cars inside Mosae Forum parking garage .

• Entre Deux - a recently rebuilt shopping centre which has won several international awards.^[8] It includes a book store located inside a former Dominican church. In 2008 British newspaper The Guardian proclaimed this the world's most beautiful bookshop.^[9]

• Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe Plein - picturesque tree-lined square with an abundance of pavement cafes. Sights:
  • Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Basilica - 11th-century Basilica Minor.
  • Derlon Museumkelder - a small museum in the basement of the hotel Derlon with mainly Roman remains.

• the Inner City - city centre and main shopping district, including Stokstraatkwartier, Maastrichter Brugstraat, Grote and Kleine Staat, and Wolfstraat. Maastricht is known for its cafés, pubs and restaurants.

• Vrijthof - the best-known square in the city. Sights:
  • Theater aan het Vrijthof - main city theatre.
  • Sint-Servaas Basiliek - Romanesque church of Saint Servatius.
  • Sint-Janskerk - sandstone Gothic church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist with distinctive red tower.

• Sint-Pietersberg - a modest hill just South of the city, peaking at 171 metres above sea level. Sights:
  • Fort Sint-Pieter - an 18th-century fortress fully restored in 2008.
  • "Grotten Sint-Pietersberg (caves) - sandstone (marl) quarry with vast network of manmade tunnels. Guided tours available.
  • Ruine Lichtenberg - a farmstead containing a ruined medieval castle keep.
  • D'n Observant - artificial hilltop atop Sint-Pietersberg.

• Bassin - an old and completely restored inner harbour with restaurants and cafés.

• Parks - there are various parks in Maastricht. The more interesting ones:
  • Stadspark - the main public park on the West bank of the river.
  • Monsigneur Nolenspark - extension of Stadspark with remnants of medieval city walls.
  • Aldenhofpark - another extension of Stadspark with statue of d'Artagnan.
  • Charles Eykpark - modern park between the public library and Bonnefantenmuseum on the East bank of the Meuse river
  • Griendpark - modern park on the East bank of the river with inline-skating and skateboarding course.

The tourist information office (VVV) is located in the so-called Dinghuis - the 15th-century former town hall and law courts building at the intersection of Grote Staat and Kleine Staat.

[edit] Local anthem

In 2002 the municipal government officially adopted a local anthem (Dutch: Maastrichts Volkslied, Limburgish (Maastrichtian variant): Mestreechs Volksleed) composed of lyrics in Maastrichtian. The theme was originally written by Alfons Olterdissen (1865-1923) as finishing stanza of the Maastrichtian opera "Trijn de Begijn" of 1910 ^[10] .

Maastrichtian municipal anthem (Mestreechs Volksleed) (2002)

1 Hoera! Vivat! Mestreech!!! Jao diech höbs us aon 't hart gelege, Mestreech, door alle ieuwe heer. Veer bleve diech altied genege En deilde dreufheid en plezeer. Veer huurde nao dien aw histories Te peerd op grampeer ziene sjoet. Ues ouge blónke bij dien glories · Of perelde bij diene noet. 2 En dee vaan diech 't sjoens wèlt prijze, In taol, die al wie zinge klink, Dat dee op nui Mestreechter wijze Zien aajd Mestreech mèt us bezingk. Me zong vaan diech ten alle tije, Eus mojers zonge bij de weeg, En voolte veer us rech tevreie Daan zong ze e leedsje vaan Mestreech. 3 Doe, blom vaan Nederlands landouwe, Gegreujd op 't graaf vaan Sintervaos, Bis weerdig dobbel te besjouwe, Gespiegeld in de blanke Maos. 'n Staar, De witste oet de klaore, Besjijnt diech mèt häör straole zach En, um diech zuver te bewaore, 'nen Ingel hèlt bij diech de wach. 4 Wie dèks woorste neet priesgegeve, Mèh heels dien kroen toch opgeriech En ongeknak bis te gebleve, Door euze band vaan trouw aon diech. Daorum de hand us tòwgestoke, 't Oug geriech op 't stareleech; En weur dat oug daan ins gebroke, Daan beidt veur us het aajd Mestreech.

[edit] Natives of Maastricht

See also People from Maastricht

• Jan Pieter Minckeleers (1748-1824) - scientist and inventor of coal gas lighting.
• Peter Debye (1884-1966) - Nobel prize winning chemist.
• Gerard Bergholtz (1939) - football player for MVV and the Netherlands
• André Rieu (1949) - violinist.
• Fred Rompelberg (1945) - cyclist and current holder of the World Speed Record Cycling.
• Sjeng Kerbusch (1947-1991) - behavior geneticist
• Benny Neyman (1951-2008) - singer.
• Maxime Verhagen (1956) - politician.
• Bram Moszkowicz (1960) - prominent Dutch lawyer.
• Boudewijn Zenden (1976) - football player.
• Ad Wijnands (1959) - cyclist, Tour de France stage winner
• Pieter van den Hoogenband (1978) - swimmer and triple Olympic champion.

[edit] International relations

[edit] Twin towns — Sister cities

• Liège, Belgium
• Koblenz, Germany
• Rama, Nicaragua

[edit] See also

• Jewish Maastricht

[edit] Impressions

City Hall	Public park	Public park	Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe Embankment
Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe Square	Father Vink Tower	Hells Gate	Jeker river
Lang Grachtje street	Saint Hilarius street	Vrijthof & Saint Servatius Basilica	Saint Servatius Basilica
Saint Servatius Basilica interior	Saint Servatius Bridge	Public library	Square 1992
Square 1992	Bonnefanten Museum	Mosae Forum	High Bridge
Meuse River	Dinghuis	Train station	Sint Pieter
Fortress Sint Pieter	Fortress Sint Pieter	Lichtenberg estate	ENCI Quarry

[edit] References

1. ^ VVV Maastricht
2. ^ Gnesotto, N. (1992). European union after Minsk and Maastricht. International Affairs. 68(2), 223-232.
3. ^ Coffee Corner: Dagblad de Limburger
4. ^ Cannabis Cafes Get Nudge to Fringes of a Dutch City, The New York Times, 20 August 2006.
5. ^ A2 tunnel fors duurder: Dagblad de Limburger
6. ^ Tramlijn: Dagblad de Limburger
7. ^ Tramverbinding tussen Nederland en België (Dutch)
8. ^ Entre Deux
9. ^ Top shelves: The Guardian
10. ^ Municipality of Maastricht (2008). "Municipality of Maastricht: Maastrichts Volkslied". N.A. Maastricht. http://www.maastricht.nl/maastricht/show/id=64886/notextonly=42282. Retrieved 2009-08-05. 

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Maastricht

General

• City of Maastricht, official site (Dutch)
• City of Maastricht, official site (English)
• Destadmaastricht.com All you want to know about Maastricht, esp. current projects like Entre-Deux and Mosae Forum
• Famous inhabitants of Maastricht
• M'tricht - International Maastricht Region Portal, All about Maastricht and the Maastricht Region, in English
• my M'tricht - International Maastricht Region Community, Maastricht Region social network and community blog for visitors, students, professionals, locals and (potential) residents, in English
• maestricht.net - Maastricht portal and community blog, esp. neighbourhood information and participation, in Dutch and Maastrichts.

Tourism

• Tourist Board, Dutch, English, French or German
• MaastrichtNet, Agenda for Maastricht with English Section Highlights of the Week
• Maastricht360.nl, 360° view of Maastricht
• FoToL.nl, pictures of Maastricht
• Bonnefanten Museum
• Maastricht Underground

History

• Zicht op Maastricht (Official website about the history of Maastricht)
• Maastricht in Roman times
• Churches of Maastricht
• News report of alleged find of musketeer skeletons
• Webpage about Maastricht fortifications
• Webpage about the 1632 siege
• Webpage about the 1673 siege
• D’Artagnan’s death at the 1673 siege of Maastricht, an article by H. Reuvers in Crossroads, 19 December 2006
• The history of carnival in Maastricht, an article by H. Reuvers in Crossroads, 31 January 2007

Higher education and research

• Maastricht University
  • Maastricht Graduate School of Governance
  • Maastricht Economic and social Research and training centre on Innovation and Technology - United Nation University [1]
  • Center for European Studies (CES) [2]

• Zuyd University (University of Applied Sciences)
  • Academie van Bouwkunst Maastricht (Academy of Architecture) [3]
  • Conservatorium Maastricht (Academy of Music)
  • Toneelacademie Maastricht (School of Dramatic Arts)
  • Academie Beeldende Kunsten Maastricht (Fine Arts School)

• Hogere Hotel School (higher hotel school)

• Maastricht School of Management [4]

• Jan van Eyck Academie [5] (post-graduate art school)

Resources for expatriates

• Crossroads English-language website for expatriates in Maastricht, published by the European Journalism Centre
• International Women's Club South Limburg a non profit international women's organisation with over 200 members in South Limburg
• Maastricht International Playgroup a non-profit organisation comprising expatriate and local parents living in and around Maastricht

Other

• Vastelaoftrap Kickoff of the carnival days
• WebCAM Maastricht Randwijck WebCAM Maastricht Randwijck
• Maastricht photo gallery

v • d • e Maastricht and related topics Culture General Bonnefanten Museum · Flag · Judaism in Maastricht · Limburgish language (Maastrichtian variant) Education Maastricht School of Management · Maastricht University (incl. University College Maastricht) · Zuyd University of Applied Sciences (incl. Academy of Fine Arts Maastricht · Academy of Music Maastricht · Academy of Dramatic Arts Maastricht · Hotelschool Maastricht) History First Siege (1579) · Capture of Maastricht (1632) · Second Siege (1673) · Département de Meuse-Inférieure (1795-1814) · Battle of Maastricht (1940) Geography Geology & Hydrology Juliana Canal · Maastrichtian (geological period) · Meuse · Zuid-Willemsvaart Region / Urban area Meuse-Rhine Euroregion · South Limburg · Lanaken (B) (Oud-Rekem · Rekem · Smeermaas) · Riemst (B) (Kanne · Vroenhoven) Politics Local politics Gerd Leers (CDA) (current mayor) International politics Maastricht Treaty (1992) Sports Amstel Gold Race (cycling) · Maastricht Wildcats (American football) · MVV (football) Transportation A2 motorway · Maastricht-Aachen Airport (shared with Aachen, Germany) capital of the Province of Limburg, The Netherlands

v • d • e    Municipalities of Limburg Arcen en Velden (Árse en Velde) · Beek (Baek) · Beesel (Bezel) · Bergen (Baerge) · Brunssum (Broensem) · Echt-Susteren (Ech-Zöstere) · Eijsden (Èèsjde) · Gennep · Gulpen-Wittem (Gullepe-Wittem) · Heerlen (Heële) · Helden (Helje) · Horst aan de Maas (Hoars aon de Maas) · Kerkrade (Kirchroa) · Kessel · Landgraaf (Lankgraaf) · Leudal (Leudaal) · Maasbree (Bree) · Maasgouw (Maasgoew) · Maastricht (Mestreech) · Margraten (Mergraote) · Meerlo-Wanssum (Mieëldere-Wânsem) · Meerssen (Meersje) · Meijel (Mael) · Mook en Middelaar (Mook en Middelar) · Nederweert (Ni-jwieërt) · Nuth (Nut) · Onderbanken (Óngerbenk) · Roerdalen (Roerdale) · Roermond (Remunj) · Schinnen (Sjènne) · Sevenum (Zaerem) · Simpelveld (Zumpelveld) · Sittard-Geleen (Zittert-Gelaen) · Stein · Vaals · Valkenburg aan de Geul (Valkeberg aan de Geul) · Venlo · Venray (Venroj) · Voerendaal (Voelender) · Weert (Wieërt) See also: Netherlands · Provinces · Municipalities

v • d • e Capital cities of the Netherlands National Capital Amsterdam Seat of Government The Hague Drenthe Assen Flevoland Lelystad Friesland Leeuwarden Gelderland Arnhem Groningen Groningen Limburg Maastricht North Brabant 's-Hertogenbosch North Holland Haarlem Overijssel Zwolle South Holland The Hague Utrecht Utrecht Zeeland Middelburg See also Provinces of the Netherlands, Capital of the Netherlands and List of cities in the Netherlands by province