Maastricht history

Introduction: Maastricht

Maastricht, with 121,000 inhabitants, is the largest city in the south of the Netherlands. But at the same time, it's also the oldest and most "un-Dutch" city. As you enter the city, it won’t immediately be noticeable, but if you take the time to explore the downtown area it becomes clear why this is one of the most beloved historic cities in the Netherlands.

The Roman Era

The area that is now Maastricht was occupied by the Roman Empire as long as 2,000 years ago; the bridge crossing the river Meuse ("Maas" in Dutch), from which Maastricht derives its name, was considered so important that the Romans built a castellum at the site. This castellum, a small castle, served to protect the Maastrichter bridge from being attacked by the nearby Germanic people.

To this day, old Roman artifacts are being found in dig sites in and around Maastricht. Most of these artifacts are now on display at the city's "Bonnefantenmuseum".

The Legacy of St. Servatius

In the fourth century, a Christian bishop named Saint Servatius ("Sint Servaas" in Dutch) moved from the Belgian city of Tongeren to Maastricht. He moved the seat of his diocese to the city and founded a Christian community, leaving a lasting impression on the city, even after his death in the year 384.

To this day, you can find many references to Saint Servatius in Maastricht. For example, the oldest bridge crossing the Meuse is called the "Sint Servaasbrug" (St. Servatius bridge) and the oldest - and most beautiful - church in the city is called the "Sint Servaaskerk" (St. Servatius church). When you're visiting Maastricht, these are two important places you'll want to see during your stay.

The Reason For Maastricht's Diversity

During the following thousand years, the city changed occupants several times. The Franks owned the city for a while, and the diocese of Liege owned part of the city as well when the diocese was moved from Maastricht. Later, the dukes of Brabant got control of the city, until Brabant itself was gobbled up by the Kingdom of Burgundy in the fifteenth century.

In the sixteenth century, the Spaniards had control of all of the Netherlands, Maastricht included. The city had reached its high point about a century earlier, when religion and trade had high tide. Maastricht blossomed as more churches (among them the Gothic Sint Jan church) and monasteries were built in the city and all kinds of trade shops opened up for business.

In 1576, a rebellion arose in Maastricht against the Spanish occupier, but this rebellion was quickly and crudely put down; and so was another uprising in 1579. Despite efforts by the combined Dutch provinces to retake the city, Maastricht remained firmly under Spanish control during the following sixty years.

It wasn't until 1632 that Maastricht would again be under Dutch control, but the city remained a hot spot for years to come. During this period in history, the city experienced some periods of relative quiet followed by bursts of violence and occupation by foreign hosts.

During all this time, the defensive works of the city were constantly altered and upgraded. (Even today, you can still visit a part of the old city wall just outside of downtown Maastricht.) During peace times, the work would slacken, but as soon as trouble was approaching, the effort would be redoubled and a more formidable defensive barrier built.

With all of these changing foreign influences, the city became more and more diverse. As you walk through the city, you'll notice French architectural influences, Gothic churches next to those of an earlier era, Spanish and Dutch buildings, and much more. It is exactly this diversity that will show you just how "un-Dutch" Maastricht really is. (And if you want to know what Maastricht looked like in the 18th century, all you have to do is visit the Bonnefantenmuseum, where a maquette of Maastricht is on display, made exclusively for the French king Louis XV in 1752.)

Industrialization: Maastricht Becomes Part of the Netherlands

After a time of French occupation, the maps of Europe were again revised in the 19th century. Napoleon was gone and so was his empire, so Maastricht again became part of the Netherlands. Geographically, Maastricht should have become part of Belgium when the Belgians declared themselves independent from the Netherlands (one look at a map of the Netherlands will show you why immediately), but the garrison of Maastricht remained loyal to the Dutch royal house.

The first years after the Belgian independence were difficult years for Maastricht. It was somewhat isolated from the rest of the Netherlands and relations with the Belgians were difficult. However, the city made a name for itself again when a hugely successful pottery factory was opened by Petrus Regout.

Other investors quickly followed the example of Regout and because of this stoneware manufacturing remains an important part of Maastricht's economy to this day.

In the 1860s, large parts of the old city walls were dismantled to make room for new city development. New neighborhoods popped up as the city's population expanded to keep up with the rapid industrialization.

Maastricht in the 20th and 21st Century

During the First World War, the Netherlands succeeded in remaining neutral and as a result refugees poured into Maastricht, mainly from embattled Belgium. But there were no jobs and poverty was rampant in the city, much like it was in the rest of the Netherlands.

This economic downturn lasted until Maastricht was liberated from the German occupation in World War Two in 1944. The city revived. The historic downtown area of the city was restored and new housing projects were started to alleviate the chronic shortage of places to live for the expanding population.

These days, Maastricht is a thriving city with a central position in the "Euregio" area, along with the Belgian city of Liege and the German city of Aachen. And as you will notice when you visit Maastricht, it's also one of the friendliest and most diverse cities in the Netherlands.

Maastricht history

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