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For the treaty signed here in 1992, see Maastricht treaty

Maastricht (Dutch)
Mestreech (Limburgish)
Flag of Maastricht (Dutch) Mestreech (Limburgish)
Flag		 Coat of arms of Maastricht (Dutch) Mestreech (Limburgish)
Coat of arms
Location of Maastricht (Dutch) Mestreech (Limburgish)
Coordinates: 50°51′N 5°41′E / 50.85, 5.683
Country Flag of the Netherlands Netherlands
Province Limburg
Area (2006)
 - Total 60. The Maastricht Treaty (formally the Treaty on European Union, TEU) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht, the Netherlands after final The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Limburg ( Dutch: (Nederlands Limburg is the southern-most of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. 06 km² (23. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 2 sq mi)
 - Land 56. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 80 km² (21. 9 sq mi)
 - Water 3. 26 km² (1. 3 sq mi)
Population (1 June 2007)
 - Total 118,378
 - Density 1,971/km² (5,104. Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 9/sq mi)
  Source: CBS, Statline. Statistics Netherlands, founded in 1899, is a Dutch governmental institution that gathers statistical information about the Netherlands.
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)

Maastricht (Dutch (pronunciation (help·info)), Limburgish and city dialect: Mestreech) — translated in French as Maestricht or Maëstricht and in Spanish as Mastrique — is a municipality, and capital of the Dutch province of Limburg. Central European Time ( CET) is one of the names of the Time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+1 is used in the following locations Central European Time West Africa Time Western European Summer Time Daylight saving time ( DST Central European Summer Time ( CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 Time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+2 corresponds to the following Time zones Eastern European Time Egypt Standard Time Central Africa Time Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname Limburgish, or Limburgian or Limburgic ( Dutch: Limburgs, German: Limburgisch, French: Limbourgeois French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly denotes a City, Town, or Village, or The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Limburg ( Dutch: (Nederlands Limburg is the southern-most of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. The city is situated on both sides of the Meuse river (Maas in Dutch) in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands between Belgium and Germany. The Meuse (in Dutch and in German: "Maas" in Latin: "Mosa" in Celtic:"Mus" (the rootword presumingly The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. To the west is Belgium, to the south is Belgium and Luxembourg. Luxembourg (Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small Landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by To the east is North-Rhine Westphalia. North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen usually shortened to NRW, official short form NW is the westernmost and - in terms of population and economic output - the The place-name is derived from its Latin name Trajectum ad Mosam or Mosae Trajectum (Mosa-crossing), referring to the bridge built by the Romans during the reign of Augustus Caesar. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Augustus ( Latin: IMPERATOR·CAESAR·DIVI·FILIVS·AVGVSTVS September 23 63 BC – August 19 AD 14) born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, was

For years, the city has been arguing with Nijmegen as to which of them is the oldest city in the Netherlands. Nijmegen (ˈnɛɪmeɣən) (obsolete spellings Nijmwegen Nymegen Nieumeghen &mdash Nimwegen in local dialect and in German, Nimègue in French Nijmegen was the first city with Roman city rights in what is now the Netherlands. 'City rights' redirects here See also Municipal charter. Town privileges were important features of European Towns during Maastricht was the first with Medieval city rights, a system which evolved to the current system and, thanks to the Romans, the first settlement with city allure. Roman sources mention a Celtic settlement (probably inhabited by the Eburones) at the location they used for the bridge. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts The Eburones ( Greek:, Strabo) were a people of Germanic descent that lived in the upper north of Gallia largely between the Rhine and the Other sources mention a Celtic settlement at a river crossing near where Wyck, a city district located on the eastern side of the Meuse river, is now located. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts

Contents

History

Map showing location of Maastricht in relation to the Belgian border
Map showing location of Maastricht in relation to the Belgian border
Saint Servatius bridge, the oldest bridge of the Netherlands
Saint Servatius bridge, the oldest bridge of the Netherlands
A main shopping street in Maastricht, decorated with EU flags.
A main shopping street in Maastricht, decorated with EU flags. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in
Fortress remains are still kept in a center of the city
Fortress remains are still kept in a center of the city

Paleolithic remains have been found to the west of Maastricht, between 8000 and 25 000 years old. The term Paleolithic (or Palaeolithic) (from Greek παλαιός palaios, " Old " and λίθος Lithos, "stone" At least 500 years before the Romans came, Celts lived here, at a spot where the river Meuse was shallow and therefore easy to cross. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts Meuse (møːz is a department in northeast France, named after the Meuse River. 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. Bagacumjpg|thumb|Bagacum]] Bavay is a town and commune of northern France in the département of Nord, 15 m Tongeren ( French: Tongres, German: Tongern) is a City and municipality located in the province of Limburg

Maastricht Train Station
Maastricht Train Station
Basilica of Saint Servatius
Basilica of Saint Servatius

Saint Servatius was the first bishop of the Netherlands. Saint Servatius ( Dutch: Sint Servaas; French: Saint Servais) (traditionally died 384 was Bishop of Tongeren &mdashRoman A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight 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 Basilica of Saint Servatius is situated in Maastricht, in The Netherlands. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and Pope 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. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Liège (ljɛːʒ Older English: Luick, Walloon: Lidje, German: Lüttich; Latin: Leodium, Dutch

Middle Ages

In the early Middle Ages Maastricht was part of the heartland of the Carolingian Empire. Carolingian Empire is a historiographical term sometimes used to refer to the realm of the Franks under the Carolingian dynasty. It later developed into a city of dual authority, a condominium, with both the Prince-Bishopric of Liège and the Duchy of Brabant holding joint sovereignty over the city. A condominium, or condo, is a form of Housing tenure and other Real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate (usually of an apartment The Bishopric of Liège or Prince-Bishopric of Liège was a state of the Holy Roman Empire in the Low Countries in present Belgium The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. It received city rights in 1204. City rights are a medieval phenomenon in the history of the Low Countries.

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 States-General ( Staten-Generaal) is the Parliament of the Netherlands. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Frederick Henry, or Frederik Hendrik in Dutch ( 29 January 1584 – 14 March 1647) was the Prince of Orange The important strategic location of Maastricht in the Dutch Republic resulted in an impressive array of fortifications around the city. "United Netherlands" redirects here For the "Kingdom of the United Netherlands" see United Kingdom of the Netherlands.

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. The Siege of Maastricht was one of the key elements in King Louis XIV's plans to attack The Netherlands, in order to revenge the humiliating conditions enforced The Franco-Dutch War (1672&ndash1678 was a War fought between the Kingdom of France, Münster-->, Cologne--> and Kingdom of England 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. Sébastien Le Prestre Seigneur de Vauban and later Marquis de Vauban ( May 15, 1633 – March 30, 1707) commonly referred to 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. Early years Birth and ancestry Louis XIV was born in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye on September 5 1638 and bore the Heir apparent 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. Charles de Batz-Castelmore Comte d'Artagnan (c Lupiac 1611 - 25 June, Maastricht Charles de Batz-Castelmore Comte d'Artagnan (c Lupiac 1611 - 25 June, Maastricht The d'Artagnan Romances are a set of three novels by Alexandre Dumas telling the story of the Musketeer D'Artagnan from his humble beginnings in Gascony 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). Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians The Vicomte of Bragelonne Ten Years Later ( Le Vicomte de Bragelonne ou Dix ans plus tard) is a novel by Alexandre Dumas père.

Maastricht surrendered to French troops on 30 June. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper 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 War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748 involved nearly all the powers of Europe The French would return once more in 1794, when they annexed the city to what would become the French Empire. The Empire of the French (1804-1814 also known as the Empire of France, Greater French Empire, First French Empire, French Empire, or Maastricht became the capital of the French département of Meuse-Inférieure. Meuse-Inférieure ( Lower Meuse; Dutch: Nedermaas or Beneden-Maas; German: Niedermaas) is the name of a département

Part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Map of the Netherlands in 1843 after Belgian independence and retrocession of Limburg.
Map of the Netherlands in 1843 after Belgian independence and retrocession of Limburg.

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. Timeline of the Napoleonic eraThe Napoleonic Era is a period in the History of France and Europe United Kingdom of the Netherlands (or Kingdom of the United Netherlands) (1815 - 1830 (1839 (Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden Royaume-Uni des Pays-Bas was the unofficial 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. The Belgian Revolution was a conflict in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands that began with a riot in Brussels in August 1830 and eventually led to the The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Garrison (various spellings (from the French garnison, itself from the verb garnir, "to equip" is the collective term for a body of Troops 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. A great power is a Nation or State that has the ability to exert its influence on a global scale 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. The Treaty of London, also called the First Treaty of London or the Convention of 1839, was a Treaty signed on 19 April 1839 between

Because of the resulting eccentric location Maastricht often remained more focused on Belgium and Germany than on the rest of the Netherlands. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Due to its proximity to the Walloon industrial basin, Maastricht industrialised earlier than most of the Netherlands. is a process of social and economic change whereby a human group is transformed from a Pre-industrial society into an industrial one It thus retained a distinct non-Dutch character until the First World War forced the city to look northwards. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All

20th century

The city did not escape World War II: it was quickly taken by the Germans on May 10, 1940, but on September 14, 1944, Maastricht was the first Dutch city to be liberated by allied forces. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 81 - Domitian becomes Emperor of the Roman Empire upon the death of his brother Titus. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The participants in World War II were those Nations who either participated directly in or were affected by any of the theaters or events of World War II.

The latter half of the century saw a decline of the traditional industries and a shift to more services-oriented economy. Service economy can refer to one or both of two recent economic developments Maastricht University was founded in 1976. Universiteit Maastricht (abbreviation UM (or in the English language Maastricht University founded in 1976, is the second youngest university in the In 1992, the Maastricht treaty was negotiated and signed here, leading to the creation of the European Union and the Euro. The Maastricht Treaty (formally the Treaty on European Union, TEU) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht, the Netherlands after final The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

21st century

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

Under current mayor Gerd Leers Maastricht has initiated a campaign against drugs dealing and trafficking. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Gerd Leers (born 12 July 1951, Kerkrade) is the current mayor of Maastricht, Netherlands. In the course of 2008 several of the so-called coffee shops will be relocated from the central area to the periphery. A coffeehouse ( French / Portuguese: café; Spanish: cafetería; Italian: caffè Most of the coffeshops' clients come from nearby Belgium and Northern-France. By relocating the coffeshops the city aims to stem drugs-related crime in the city centre.

Institutions and education

Administrative centre of Maastricht University
Administrative centre of Maastricht University

Economic aspect

The following private companies are settled, or have sections in Maastricht:

Neighbourhoods

One of the Maastricht Streets
One of the Maastricht Streets

Maastricht can be divided into 7 parts consisting of multiple neighborhoods:

  1. Centrum (Centre); Binnenstad, Boschstraatkwartier, Jekerkwartier, Kommelkwartier, Statenkwartier, Sint Maartenspoort, Wyck. Electronic Data Systems (EDS is a global Business and technology services company headquartered in Plano Texas that defined the Outsourcing business
  2. Buitenwijk Noord-Oost (North-Eastern sections); Beatrixhaven, Borgharen, Itteren, Meerssenhoven.
  3. Buitenwijk Oost (Eastern sections); Amby, Heugemerveld, Limmel, Nazareth, Scharn, Wittevrouwenveld, Wyckerpoort.
  4. Buitenwijk Zuid-Oost (South-Eastern sections); De Heeg, Heer, Heugem, Randwyck, Vroendaal.
  5. Buitenwijk Zuid-West (South-Western sections); Biesland, Campagne, Jekerdal, Sint Pieter, Villapark, Wolder.
  6. Buitenwijk West (Western sections); Belfort, Brusselsepoort, Caberg, Daalhof, Dousberg-Hazendans, Malberg, Malpertuis, Mariaberg, Oud-Caberg, Pottenberg.
  7. Buitenwijk Noord-West (North-Western sections); Belvédère, Boschpoort, Bosscherveld, Frontenkwartier, Lanakerveld).

Every neighbourhood has its own number which corresponds to the postal code.

Politics

Council seats
Party seats change from 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 mayor of Maastricht is the Christian Democrat Gerd Leers. The Christian Democratic Appeal ( CDA) (Christen Democratisch Appèl is a Dutch Christian-democratic Political party. GroenLinks ( GL, English: GreenLeft) is a Dutch Green Political party. The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy ( VVD) (Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie is a Dutch liberal Political party. The Socialist Party ( SP, Dutch: Socialistische Partij) is a Dutch socialist Political party. Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian (and often specifically Catholic) principles to public policy Gerd Leers (born 12 July 1951, Kerkrade) is the current mayor of Maastricht, Netherlands. His party, the CDA, became the largest party in the city council after the 2002 municipal elections, when they made up the coalition together with PvdA, VVD and GroenLinks. The Christian Democratic Appeal ( CDA) (Christen Democratisch Appèl is a Dutch Christian-democratic Political party. A city council is a form of Local government, usually covering a City or other Urban area, such as a Town.

The 2006 municipal elections saw a political landslide from right to left all over the Netherlands, and Maastricht was no exception. The Dutch municipal elections of 2006 were held on March 7 2006. The present coalition still kept its majority, but the shift to the left made Maastricht one of the 39 Dutch municipalities in which an all-left-wing coalition of PvdA, GroenLinks and SP has become possible. Another factor that contributed to this situation in Maastricht, was the 2005 enduring disagreement within the VVD between the traditional and progressive members. September 2006, this lead to the establishement of the Liberalen Maastricht. Previously the VVD forced one of its members to leave the party, just a month after the 2006 municipal elections.

One issue that brought Maastricht in the news in 2005 and 2006 was the cannabis supply of coffeeshops. Cannabis ( Cán-na-bis) is a Genus of Flowering plants that includes three putative species Cannabis sativa subsp A coffeehouse ( French / Portuguese: café; Spanish: cafetería; Italian: caffè Under the gedoogbeleid the sale of cannabis is allowed under certain conditions, but the supply is not, resulting in an impossible situation. In the Netherlands the national drug policy has officially four major objectives To prevent drug use and to treat and rehabilitate drug users The police keep on tracking down plantations, but that just results in more and more plantations being set up, including many in attics of houses in 'ordinary streets', thus bringing small children in contact with illegal activities. Mayor Leers therefore proposed to let the government take over the growing, striking, in his opinion, a blow to the criminal scene. But the Netherlands are bound by international laws and a complication for Maastricht is its proximity to neighbouring countries, making it a major destination for drug tourism.

Sports

Transportation

Visiting Maastricht

Events & Festivals

Museums

The Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe basilica (Early construction is Romanesque and later is Gothic).
The Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe basilica (Early construction is Romanesque and later is Gothic). Regional characteristics of Romanesque architecture|Romanesque art Romanesque architecture is the term that is used to describe the architecture of Middle Ages Europe which See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period.

Sights

Other

Native of Maastricht

See also People from Maastricht

Sister Cities

See also

External links

General

Tourism

History

Higher education and research

Resources for expatriates

Other

Universiteit Maastricht (abbreviation UM (or in the English language Maastricht University founded in 1976, is the second youngest university in the UNU-MERIT is a joint research and training center of United Nations University (UNU and Maastricht University, in the Netherlands. Zuyd University, or Hogeschool Zuyd in Dutch is a " Hogeschool " or University of Applied Sciences in English located in the three largest A vocational university (professional university or college of higher vocational studies is an institution of Higher education and sometimes Research, which The Conservatorium Maastricht is located in the city of Maastricht and is one of the nine conservatories in the Netherlands. The Toneelacademie Maastricht (Academy of Dramatic Arts is located in the city of Maastricht in the Netherlands. The Academie Beeldende Kunsten Maastricht (ABKM Academy of Fine Arts The Maastricht School of Management (MSM is a not-for-profit management school

Dictionary

Maastricht

-proper noun

  1. The capital of the province of Limburg in the Netherlands.
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