South Limburg (Netherlands)
{{Short description|Region in Limburg, the Netherlands}}
File:Panorama heuvelland Maurice van Bruggen.JPG
South Limburg (Dutch: Zuid-Limburg, Limburgish: Zuud-Limburg) is both a COROP (statistical) region as well as a landstreek (area) of the Netherlands located in the province of Limburg. The Dutch term landstreek, literally translated "land area/region", means that the area is not an administrative region but an area that displays cohesion with regard to culture and landscape. With regards to South Limburg this deals with its hilly landscape, especially in the Heuvelland region, sunken lanes, an abundance of castles, and the regional language Limburgish spoken by a significant part of the population alongside Dutch. The region also contains the highest point above sea level in mainland Netherlands, the Vaalserberg being {{convert|322.5|m|ft|0}} above sea level (the highest point of the entire country is in the Caribbean Netherlands' island of Saba, namely Mount Scenery being {{convert|887|m|ft|0}} above sea level).
The region South Limburg in addition, although extended a little further north to Roermond, forms a constituent part of the Euroregion Meuse-Rhine.
''Estate region'' Maastricht-Meerssen
File:Borgharen-009.jpg in the town of Borgharen in the estate region.]]
The estate region Maastricht-Meerssen (Dutch: Landgoederenzone Maastricht - Meerssen) is the name for an area stretching from the northeastern parts of Maastricht to the south of Meerssen that is characterised by a large number of estates. The area is crossed by three rivers (namely the Meuse, Geul and Kanjel). A majority of said estates have been built (or renovated) by the 19th century Maastrichtian industrialist Petrus Regout and his descendants. Challenges to transforming the entire region into a recreational area are posed by the crossing of the A2 motorway and various railways through the area as well as the industrial area of Beatrixhaven.
The region spans six neighbourhoods of Maastricht namely:
- Amby: homestead Withuishof, homestead Gravenhof, house Severen, homestead Hagenhof (or Tiendschuur van Amby) and castle Geuselt
- Nazareth: castle Mariënwaard (La Grande Suisse), villa Petite Suisse and villa Kruisdonk
- Limmel: castles Bethlehem and Jerusalem
- Meerssenhoven: castles Vaeeshartelt and Meerssenhoven and villa Klein Vaeshartelt
- Itteren*: homestead Hartelstein
- Borgharen*: Borgharen castle and homestead Wiegershof
(* some publications do not include Itteren and Borgharen in the estate region)
And in Meerssen:
Municipalities
The South Limburg contains 18 administrative municipalities (gemeenten):
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Cities
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|Name | Population 2011/2012 | Notes |
| 25px Maastricht | 121,000 | |
| 25px Heerlen | 89,000 | Does not have historical city rights |
| 25px Kerkrade | 47,000 | Does not have historical city rights |
| 25px Sittard | 38,000 | |
| 25px Geleen | 32,000 | |
| 25px Stein | 26,000 | Does not have historical city rights |
| 25px Valkenburg | 6,000 |
Impressions of South Limburg
File:Holleweg.jpg|A sunken lane near Cadier en Keer
File:RoeëzekapelKeer.jpg|Chapel near Cadier en Keer
File:Eys.jpg|Town of Eys
File:Rotswoning2.JPG|"Rock house" near Geulhem
File:Gulpecentrum.JPG|Town of Gulpen
File:Omgeving Gulpen-Slenaken, heuvellandschap 2006-06-24 18.09.JPG|Hilly landscape between Gulpen and Slenaken
File:Maastricht 2008 OLV Wall.jpg|Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe-Embankment, Maastricht
File:Vakgevelnoorbeekwikied.JPG|Timber framed house in Noorbeek
File:Sibbe-Suubberhuuske2.jpg|'t Sibberhuuske, Sibbe
File:Kasteel Vaeshartelt.jpg|Estate region: Vaeshartelt Castle, Meerssen
File:Meerssenhoven-004.jpg|Estate region: Meerssenhoven
File:HoesKruusdonkwkped07.JPG|Estate region: Villa Kruisdonk
File:Kasteel Bethlehem.jpg|Estate region: Bethlehem Castle
File:Kasteel Jerusalem 002.jpg|Estate region: Jerusalem Castle
File:Severen-002.jpg|Estate region: Villa Severen
File:Severen-001.jpg|Estate region: Homestead Severen
See also
- South Limburg (Belgium), region in the southern part of the Belgian province of Limburg
External links
{{wikivoyage|South Limburg}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724152459/http://www.gomv.nl/menu2/landgoederenzone/poster%20toekomstbeeld%20landgoederenzone%2012%20feb%20a2.jpg Vision on the future of the estate region (Dutch)]
- [http://www.wigosite.nl/Maastrichtkastelenpagina/Maastrichtkastelen.htm The estate region on wigosite.nl (Dutch)]
- [http://www.zichtopmaastricht.nl/sources/articles/The%20Regout%20estates.pdf The Regout estates (English)]
{{coord missing|Netherlands}}