Eijsden-Margraten

Eijsden-Margraten
Municipality
Flag Coat of arms
Location in Limburg Location in Limburg
Coordinates:
Country	Netherlands
Province	Limburg
Established	1 January 2011
Government
• Body	Municipal council
• Mayor	Dieudonné Akkermans (CDA)
Area
• Total	78.32 km2 (30.24 sq mi)
• Land	77.40 km2 (29.88 sq mi)
• Water	0.92 km2 (0.36 sq mi)
Elevation	56 m (184 ft)
Population (May 2014)
• Total	24,995
• Density	323/km2 (840/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postcode	6245–6269, 6307
Area code	043
Website	www.eijsden-margraten.nl

Eijsden-Margraten (<phonos file="130 Eijsden.ogg">pronunciation</phonos>)(<phonos file="146 Margraten.ogg">pronunciation</phonos>) (Limburgish: Èèsjde-Mergraote) is a municipality situated in the very south of the European country The Netherlands. There it is located in the southeastern part of the province of Limburg.

This municipality was formed in 2011 from the former municipalities of Eijsden and Margraten, that both consisted of a number of separately situated villages. As a result the nowadays Eijsden-Margraten municipality consists of 28 villages and townships, spread out over 15 administrative centres. As of 2011, it has a population of about 25,000.

Eijsden-Margraten is one of the most southerly municipalities in the Netherlands, for in its south it is extending up to the most southerly part of the border between the Netherlands and Belgium.

The Meuse river, coming from France and Belgium, at Eijsden enters its third and final flowing country, the Netherlands. From here on its name in Dutch is "Maas". Running northward to Eijsden-Margraten's west it locally forms the westerly frontier of the last mentioned country with Belgium.

A smaller stream, the Voer, coming from Belgium, drains into the Meuse river in this municipality, after having passed through a few of its villages.

Population centres

• Banholt
• Bemelen
• Cadier en Keer
• Eckelrade
• Eijsden

• Gronsveld
• Margraten
• Mariadorp
• Mesch
• Mheer

• Noorbeek
• Oost-Maarland
• Rijckholt
• Scheulder
• Sint Geertruid

Of them Eijsden, Gronsveld, Mariadorp, Mesch, Oost-Maarland and Rijckholt are former parts of the Eijsden municipality, whereas the others are former parts of the Margraten municipality.

Fruit trees near Eijsden Castle

Land pastures on the hilly Margraten Plateau

Part of the Eijsden "Vroenhof" central square

Apart from Mesch all former Eijsden villages are situated in the valley of the Meuse river, whereas Mesch and the former Margraten villages are on a highland called the "Margraten Plateau".

Economy

Main aspects of economical activity in the for a long time agricultural villages of this municipality are:

• Fruit growing (apples, pears, prunes, cherries, strawberries).
• Grain growing (wheat, barley, corn)
• Cattle farming (milk cows, hen's eggs)
• Some industry (mainly at Eijsden)
• Tourism

Culture

Essential elements of culture in this municipality's villages are:

• Music (most places have their own brass-band and church chorus);
• Religion (predominantly Roman Catholic);
• Folklore (among others several citizen soldieries);
• Carnival;
• Sports, of which especially bicycle racing and soccer are most popular;
• Art

Sights

• Castles of Eijsden, Gronsveld, Mheer and Rijckholt
• An ancient windmill at Bemelen and five ancient water mills on the Voer river.
• Prehistoric flint mines at Rijckholt
• The Mergellandroute, a tourist route through South Limburg, passes through several places in this municipality.

Persons

• Jean Bessems (Cadier en Keer), biljards; worldchampion artistic in 1985 and 1988.
• Eugene Dubois (1858–1940), (Eijsden), anthropology.
• Pierre Lardinois (1924–1987), (Noorbeek), politics
• Jo Maas, (Eijsden), cyclism
• Fons van Wissen, (Margraten), soccer (30 caps)

Miscellaneous

• In 2013, like in 2009, the brass-band "Koninklijke Harmonie Sainte Cécile)" from Eijsden was the winner in the World Concert Division of the fouryearly World Music Contest, a competition for professional, amateur and military bands, held in Kerkrade.

Gallery

Meuse river entering The Netherlands at Eijsden

Marl of the Bemelerberg (Bemelen mountain) showing

Monumental half-timbered house at Banholt

Error creating thumbnail: File missing Gronsveld castle

Blankenberg castle at Cadier en Keer

Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial at Margraten

References

Topographic map (in Dutch) of Eijsden-Margraten; (readable after three clicks on map)

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External links

• Media related to at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website (Dutch)
• Most informative Wp-article on this subject (NlWp)