stunning medieval architecture
Roermond stands as a charming testament to European beauty and history. This picturesque city, with its rich heritage and stunning architecture, is a true gem waiting to be explored.
One of Roermond’s most notable attractions is its stunning medieval architecture. The city boasts an array of well-preserved buildings, including the awe-inspiring St. Christopher’s Cathedral and the ornate town hall. Visitors can wander through cobblestone streets, marvel at historic facades, and get lost in the enchanting ambiance of times gone by.
The city’s connection to water is another captivating aspect. Roermond is situated on the banks of the Meuse River and is also home to the Maasplassen, the largest connected water sports area in the Netherlands. Boating, fishing, and waterfront dining are popular activities, offering both residents and visitors a chance to relax and enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds them.
Roermond is also renowned as a shopping destination. The city is home to the Designer Outlet Roermond, where fashion enthusiasts can find high-end brands at discounted prices. This shopping mecca attracts fashionistas from all over Europe, adding a modern twist to Roermond’s historical charm.
In conclusion, Roermond effortlessly combines its storied past with modern delights. From medieval architecture to vibrant shopping scenes, the city offers a diverse range of experiences. For travelers seeking a destination that encapsulates Europe’s essence, Roermond proves to be an alluring choice that promises memories to treasure.
iconoclasm
Luther had substantive objections to Roman Catholic teaching. He mainly opposed the ‘indulgence system’. This meant that believers could “redeem” their sins by giving money to the church. For that, God would forgive them their sins. Luther, however, believed that God forgives man for his sins when he repents. He eventually formulated ninety-five theses which he nailed to the door of the church of Wittenberg. This act is seen as the starting point of the Reformation.
A number of Lutheran pastors came to the city of Roermond. The first was Jacob van Lovendaal. The Roman Catholic government dealt with him: he was tortured and burned. After Lovendaal, Ludovicus Ornaeus came to the city. The city council closed the city sports for him, but the man was secretly taken inside. The stadtholder discovered that preaching was taking place again and wanted to expel the man from the city. There was a great deal of resistance to this. A real iconoclasm followed in Roermond, which started with the storming of the parish church. After this, other churches were looted, altars and statues burned and art treasures destroyed.
stone bridge
Celtic inhabitants of this region used to live on both sides of the river Roer.
Invading Romans built a bridge (now called Steene Brök or stone bridge) and founded the first city in Roermond.
In thesixties and seventies of the last century, the Roer was heavily polluted by the rinsing water of the many German coal mines. There were no fish, there was no life left and it was dangerous to swim in the Roer. Foam flakes regularly flooded parts of the city of Roermond. After the closure of the German mines, the sewage treatment in Germany and the Netherlands was greatly improved. The overflow from the sewer was also collected in basins during heavy rain. Only the soil is still polluted. The water is now so clean that trout and more than 30 species of fish are back. After an absence of 125 years, the salmon returned to the Roer in 2006.
market square
The Markt is a square in the city center of Roermond. On this Markt are several monumental buildings as well as the Sint-Christoffelkathedraal and the town hall of Roermond, both also monumental.
Various events take place on the Markt, such as the annual Tattoo Midden-Limburg and liberation festivals, but also the regular weekly market can be found here on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
On 27 May 1990, four Australian tourists were attacked at the market in Roermond while taking pictures of the town hall. Two of them, 24-year-old Stephen Melrose and 28-year-old Nicholas Spanos, were killed. Later it turned out to be a mistake. A day later, the Northern Ireland Liberation Army (IRA) declared that they were targeting British soldiers stationed in Germany, near Roermond.
MUNster church
The Munsterkerk on the Munsterplein in Roermond, is an example in the Netherlands of a church in restoration late Romanesque style and belongs to the Rhenish Romanesque group. The official name of the church is Our Lady Munster. The name munster comes from the Latin monastery which means monastery and thus indicates that the church was originally an abbey church.
The church was built as part of a Cistercian women’s abbey, the Munster Abbey, founded around 1218 by Count Gerard III of Guelders. However, construction must have started a few years earlier. Because the church was also intended as a funerary church for the count and his family, the building had to radiate more power than was customary for a Cistercian church. In the end, only Gerard III himself and his wife Margaret of Brabant were buried in the church; Their tomb is located under the dome. Their son Otto II succeeded his father as Count of Guelders and Zutphen from 1229 until his death in 1271.
MAASPLASSEN
The Maasplassen are gravel holes, they were created by the extraction of gravel that occurs there thanks to deposition by the Meuse.
Gravel extraction on the Meuse started in the 19th century. After the Second World War, companies began to excavate the floodplains on a large scale. After 1990, gravel extraction was phased out, although gravel is still being mined in a few places.
The gravel holes remained as large scars in the valley of the Meuse. A new destination was found in water recreation. There were beaches, water sports areas, nature reserves, marinas and campsites. The lake area between Thorn and Roermond forms a 15 km² contiguous recreation area.
Visitors to Roermond can make a trip with a tour boat. The cruise lasts 70 minutes and takes you past all the remarkable sights.
The lion is the Gelderland lion. Since the 13th century, the land around Roermond, Opper Gelre or Opper Kwartier, formed an important part of Guelders. The (red) lily is probably derived from the coat of arms of the van Wachtendonck family, to which many a guardian of Roermond would have belonged in the 13th and 14th centuries. A seal stamp has been preserved, on which the van Wachtendonck lily appears. The oldest seal of Roermond dates from 1250 and shows the coat of arms of the Dukes of Guelders.This coat of arms is also included in the former and current municipal coat of arms.
The caption reads aequitas judicia tua domine, what means Your interests are fairness.
Martyrs of Roermond
On 23 July 1572, not long after the start of the Eighty Years’ War, troops of William of Orange captured the city of Roermond. William allowed looting, the soldiers mainly targeted Catholic churches and monasteries.
In the Carthusian monastery a massacre was carried out, half of the attendees were killed.
The Martyrs of Roermond are thirteen clergymen from Roermond who were murdered by the troops of William of Orange in 1572.
They were twelve monks from the Carthusian monastery of Bethlehem, as well as the secretary of the bishop of Roermond.
William of Orange is credited with not condemning the murder of the martyrs of Roermond, and having given his soldiers a free pass to plunder the city.
64 people suspected of witchcraft were burned in roermond
The series of witch trials that took place in Roermond around 1613 was the largest ever in the Netherlands.
Roermond was located in the Southern Netherlands at the time and was counter-reformatory oriented. 64 people suspected of witchcraft were burned. The confiscated property of the victims (including the poorest) fell to the landlord. The spiritual authorities were also responsible for the extermination of the alleged witches. The processes were completed within a very short time. For a month, two witches were burned every day.
Tryntjen van Zittaert was first arrested together with her daughter who would have learned witchcraft from her mother. While playing on the street, she showed her skills to the other children. The twelve-year-old child conjured everything out of her mouth, such as coins. This was seen by a member of the magistracy. Mother and daughter were captured. The girl said she had learned everything from her mother. Both came from Sittard, where people could afford more, such as magic tricks. In strict Roermond, however, this was not tolerated. Tryntjen was tortured and confessed to having killed 41 children as well as three men and seven women and enchanting many beasts and crops. She was forced to name more names, and she indicated ten other “sorceresses.”
