Valkenburg aan de Geul
Valkenburg aan de Geul ( listen / i, Limburg: Valkeberg, German: Falkenburg at the Göhl ) is a municipality in the Netherlands, Limburg province, with 16,801 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2013). It includes the tourist village Epen ( with many bed and breakfasts and campsites ), the towns of Berg, Terblijt, Houthem -St. Gerlach ( with lock, currently a luxury hotel ) and the town of Valkenburg.
Geography
Valkenburg is situated on the River Geul, which springs in the area of situated not far from Aachen Belgian municipality Eynatten and flows into the Meuse Meerssen. This river has cut into the marl layer, a 50 to 100 meters deep valley, which has contributed to the formation of beautiful scenic spots in the hilly landscape. Since this landscape is unique in the Netherlands, spent many Dutch people, especially before 1960, when foreign travel was still difficult and expensive, their vacations here. The region is a popular hiking and biking area because of its topography. The area is full of small forests and poor grass because of the calcareous soil, on the rare orchids and other related protected species plants grow.
A well-known increase in cycling destination is the Cauberg. Through him and other heavy increases in the vicinity, Valkenburg was several times the venue of World Cup races and other major cycling races, such as the Amstel Gold Race, whose goal is every year the Cauberg. In 2006, he was also a target of a stage of the Tour de France.
Attractions
Valkenburg is since 1840 one of the important holiday destinations in the Netherlands, and tourism is the main source of livelihood of the community.
On a hill in the town are the ruins of Valkenburg, the remains of the only hilltop castle in the Netherlands. All other Dutch castles are or were moated castles. The rule of Valkenburg in the duchy of Brabant had in the late Middle Ages widely dispersed ownership. Also the place Hürth near Cologne Valkenburg was allegiance to.
Until 1942 the city was home to the Faculty of Theology of the Jesuits, who were banned as a result of the Kulturkampf in Germany for a long time and their training facility until after the Second World War to Frankfurt am Main ( Philosophy and Theology Sankt Georgen Graduate School ) installed. In the rooms of the Jesuit monastery was from 1942 to 1944, the Kingdom of the Netherlands School, a National Political reform school for boys, established.
The community is rich in small castles, some of which are used as a hotel or restaurant. The much-visited Fluweelengrotte and Gemeentegrote of marl are not natural caves, but transitions in former quarries. During the Second World War, the marl caves of the population served as an air raid shelter. That pretty soft rock is easy to promote and edit. Many buildings have been built from this material.
Above the old town and the Valkenburg is the observation tower " Wilhelminatoren ", which can be reached by a funicular.
In addition, Valkenburg has a thermal bath ( Thermae 2000), an open-air theater and a casino. From the medieval city walls the important remains are still preserved, including two small gates. Of these, the path leads to a small, romantic Old Town, where many street cafes and bars strung together.
Oost
The Kasteel Oost castle with its adjoining manor house on the Oostergats on the Geul River lies east of the town of Valkenburg. The castle is a national monument ( Rijksmonument ).
About the late medieval castle in the Dutch province of Limburg was reported: "Here resides the International Butler Academy, the strictest Butler formation of the world."
Traffic
Valkenburg is accessible from the Maastricht about 12 miles away by rail or on the Rijksweg Highway 79. The railway station of the town dates from 1849. He is the oldest of its kind in the Netherlands. The architecture is inspired by the palace of the reigning king of the Netherlands. Inside the building is a small cafe and the right wing of a small model railway business is housed.
Famous inhabitants of Valkenburg
- Pierre Cuypers (1827-1921), Dutch architect of historicism
- Camiel Eurlings (* 1973), politician; former member of the European Parliament. Minister for Transport in the Cabinet Balkenende IV
- Adam van Haren (1540-1589), captain of the Sea Beggars and tutor at William of Orange
- Jan van Hout (1908-1945), cyclist
- Theo Kreiten (1887-1960), composer, pianist and writer
- Marjon Lambriks (* 1949), operetta singer
- Marc Lotz (born 1973 ), former cycling race riders
- Theo Smeets ( b. 1964 ), Dutch jewelry designer and professor at the University of Applied Sciences Trier, location Idar -Oberstein