South Limburg (Netherlands)

Zuid -Limburg ( South Limburg ) is a region in the Dutch province of Limburg.

General

Zuid- Limburg is the southernmost part of the province of Limburg, which also includes the regions of Noord - Limburg and Midden- Limburg count. The region of Zuid - Limburg is bordered on the east by Germany and to the south and west by Belgium. As Northern centerpiece of the border triangle Netherlands - Germany - Belgium, the Euregio Meuse-Rhine, has Zuid- Limburg on a considerable variety in a small space. The region covers an area of ​​approximately 661 km2, roughly the area of ​​Cologne and Dusseldorf together, and has 607 214 inhabitants. From the easternmost point of the city of Heerlen, to the most western point of the city of Maastricht, there is about 24 km away. The north and south of the region around 40 km away. Zuid- Limburg borders only a few kilometers to the rest of the Netherlands and is otherwise surrounded by Germany and Belgium. The main river of the region is the River Meuse. The largest and best known cities in the region are Maastricht ( the capital of the province of Limburg), Heerlen, Sittard and Valkenburg.

History

In the Peace of Westphalia Limburg was divided in 1648 under Spain and the United Netherlands. 1713 War of Spanish Succession was ended in the Treaty of Utrecht and the former Spanish Netherlands, and thus also the Duchy of Limburg fell to Austria. Later in the history of the province of Limburg came to France in the Napoleonic Wars.

After the Congress of Vienna in 1815 Limburg became part of the newly created province of Limburg, of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.

After they had taken different names for the province into consideration, Willem I. chose the name Limburg, because after the northern and southern Netherlands were united again, should help these names to the memory of the seventeen provinces of Burgundian - Habsburg period to obtain.

After the Belgian Revolution was initially the entire province with the exception of Maastricht and the far north in Belgian possession. Even after the ten-day campaign remained the predominant part under Belgian control. Venlo but was vacated as part of a ceasefire in 1833. As part of a final solution, the current limit was set by the London Protocol of 1839 and Limburg thus divided into a Dutch and a Belgian province.

The newly founded Dutch province of Limburg was from 1839 to 1866 sub-area of the German Confederation.

Tourism

The region of Zuid - Limburg is a popular holiday destination in the Netherlands and is especially appropriate for walking and bicycle riding. Through a variety of smaller and larger cities with a rich history and varied landscapes, the region maintains increasingly with German tourists who make up a large part of the foreign visitors. Germany is the most important region of origin for foreign tourists in the province. In 2008, of all foreign tourists, about 44 percent German. According to the Statistical Office of the Netherlands (CBS ) 65,000 German visitors spent 105,300 nights in 2009 in Zuid- Limburg.

The tourism sector is for Zuid- Limburg is of great importance. As the first of the provinces a tourist office (VVV ) was founded here in 1885, which celebrated its 125th anniversary this year and is among the oldest organizations of its kind in Europe. To further expand its activities, the first German representative office was opened in Cologne in 2009, in addition, that "Your life and enjoy " enhanced addressing the German audience with the slogan.

Culinary

Due to its historical past and its geographical location, mentality and kitchen are strongly Burgundian in Zuid- Limburg and stand out from the rest of the Netherlands as from.

The Burgundian cuisine is full-bodied, spicy and was long considered the standard when it came to the preparation of a good dish. The use of wine, butter and cream is typically known for its French cuisine and the taste of these dishes on the borders of France. Since Zuid- Limburg is strongly influenced by the history of the French, this influence can be seen even today in the courts of the Region and Zuid- Limburg stands out from the more simple culinary dishes from the rest of the Netherlands.

The region of Zuid - Limburg was used mainly for agriculture in the past. Even today the region is for traditional products, such as wine, cheese and asparagus Limburg. But the original Limburg Vlaii ( a fruit cake with custard filling), strawberries, beer and various other fruits can be found here.

Activities

Zuid- Limburg has an exceptional topography for the otherwise flat Netherlands. The hilly area is the annual venue of the Amstel Gold Race, was four times the scene of the Road World Championships and numerous stages of major road races such as the Tour de France.

The tourist infrastructure includes a well-developed, well-marked route network of cycle paths which cover the entire region and comprise a total length of around 500 km, indoor swimming pools, thermal baths and an indoor ski slope. One of the official resorts of the Netherlands, the city of Bad Valkenburg takes on the wellness sector a special place and offers among other Kneipp treatments at. In addition, several thermal baths can be found in the area, which are particularly attractive for visitors from the border area.