Maastricht is one of the oldest cities of The Netherlands.
It's the capital of the province of Limburg and has just over 120,000 inhabitants.
The city was founded some 2,000 years ago by the Romans who built a bridge across the river Meuse
(Maas in Dutch) and called the city referring to this crossing: Trajectum ad Mosam.
It's the oldest city in The Netherlands with city rights (1204).
Despite its relatively smallness, the city has an international character.
Not only does it attract tourists from all over Europe and the rest of the world
(because of the many historical sites and buildings),
it is also situated very close to several other countries:
Belgium (10 minute drive); Germany (half an hour drive), Luxembourg (one hour drive),
and France (two hour drive), are not that far away.
Skyscraper wise the city has not much, if not nothing at all, to offer.
The reason it is included in the Skyscraper Picture Collection is simply
that it is the hometown of the webmaster of the site;
hence its inclusion in the Other Cities section of the web site.
Nearly all of the pictures here were taken in 2004, while testing out a new camera.
During the course of 2007, some new - night - pictures will be added.


Above: the skyline of Maastricht seen from three different viewing points.


Above: The Colonel, Maastricht's tallest high-rise building (56m/183f, 16 stories, 2005. It's an office tower.).






Above: Céramique Toren (Blok 8), the city's tallest from 2000-2004 (54m/177f, 17 stories, 2001).
This tower is a residential one, with offices on the ground floor.




Above: Ondernemingshuis (50m/164f, 13 stories, 2000); another office tower.


Above: Via Regia Sterflat (49m/160f, 16 stories, 1976); a residential apartment building.


Above: Torenflat, another residential apartment building (47m/154f, 15 stories, 1960).


Above left: two pictures of Quirinaalhof (48m/156f, 14 stories, 1971),
yet another residential apartment complex. It consists of a 14-floor building and a 12-floor wing.
Next to it are two similar styled buildings called Palatijnhof (1971) and Veliahof (1973).
Above right: Annadalflat (40m/131f, 13 stories, 1961); also a residential complex


Above left: WML Gebouw (43m/139f, 10 stories, 1998);
an office building in use by the Water Maatschappij Limburg (Water Company Limburg).
Above middle right: De Polvertoren (41m/135f, 11 stories, 1963);
the tower is used for housing nurses of a neighbouring elderly home.
Above right: Teikyo Guesthouse (no height available, 12 stories, 1965);
it's a sleeping facilities tower for students of the Teikyo University that is situated in Maastricht.


Above left: Il Fiore (no height available, 4 stories, 2004);
a distinctive low-rise office building.
Above middle: PTT Toren (no info available); a telecommunication/TV tower
Above right: Centre Céramique, another distinctive low-rise building;
in it the public library of Maastricht is situated.
Its height is approximately 35 metres (115 feet).

On the next couple of pictures, some historical (tall) buildings,
churches, and towers of Maastricht are presented to you:




Above: Sint Janskerk (Saint John's Church), a Gothic church built in the 15th century and completed in 1475.
It was built on the remnants of an earlier church that was built between 1132 and 1218.
On June 18, 1373 the greater part of that church was destroyed by a tornado.
With its height of approximately 72 metres (236f), it is the tallest structure in the city.
The church has a public viewing point, which can be seen best on picture #4.
The viewing area (at 43m/141f) is open from Eastern till October and costs to go up
are just one euro; but beware of the many steps up (and down).

Above: Sint-Servaasbasiliek (Basilica of Saint Servatius), a Roman church.
The nucleus of the church dates back to 1039. It's the oldest still existing church of The Netherlands.
In 1955, the tallest and middle tower of the church was destroyed in a fire; the tower was never rebuilt.
The church is situated on the Vrijthof, Maastricht's largest and most famous square.
The two tallest towers (seen among others on the last picture) are about 50 metres tall.




Above: situated on another, yet smaller, square in the city is the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwebasiliek.
Parts of this (Roman) church are from the 11th century, like the tall western part of the church.


Above: a more recently built church is the St. Lambertuskerk.
The church was built between 1913 and 1916, and is currently not in use.
It is awaiting restoration. It was the first church built in Maastricht, outside of the original city walls.


Above left: Oude Gouvernementsgebouw (1934).
Above right: Stadhuis (the city council building) from 1664.
The tower on top was added twenty years later (1684).


Above: Pater Vink Toren (Father Vink Tower), a small tower built around 1350.
It is the only part still remaining of the second city walls that surrounded the medieval city
and that were built in the 14th century.


Above left: a view towards the church towers of Maastricht (Sint-Servaas Basiliek and Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe-Basiliek).
Above middle left: Sint-Servaasbrug, the oldest still existing bridge of The Netherlands (1298).
When built, it replaced the even older original Roman bridge, that had collapsed in 1275.
A part of the new bridge was destroyed during the Second World War by the Germans.
On the picture, you can see that part on the far right.
Above middle right and right: Provinciehuis (1985), the home of the Provincial Council of Limburg.




Maastricht's 5 tallest buildings:
1. DE COLONEL 56m/183f, 16 stories, 2005
2. CÉRAMIQUE TOREN (BLOK 8) 54m/177f, 17 stories, 2001
3. ONDERNEMINGSHUIS 50m/164f, 13 stories, 2000
4. VIA REGIA STERFLAT 49m/160f, 16 stories, 1976
5. QUIRINAALHOF 48m/156f, 14 stories, 1971


All pictures copyright (c) 2004 - 2005 Patrick Beckers. All Rights Reserved.
Download of any pictures from this site without written consent is strictly prohibited, unless for personal use!
This personal use does NOT include using the pictures on other web sites.


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