Parc Maasresidence Thorn was built in 2022 and is therefore still very young. Almost all houses and gardens in the area are older than the resort. Therefore, it’s high time to educate our newborn resort on the history of the region. For holiday guests staying with us a week or too, it might also be interesting to learn about the millions of people wandered through this area for all those thousands of years. If you are not a history buff, you still have the chance to escape to MRT Beach with a cold drink and a sudoku. No? Still reading? Surprising, but okay. I’ll try to keep it light.
There are several old and ancient cities near Thorn. Some date back to the Middle Ages, others to Roman times, and still others to a time that predates human memory. Throughout the centuries and millennia, people have designed and left behind all sorts of beautiful things. Today, I’ll be making a historical visit to Thorn, Weert, Roermond, Valkenburg, and Maastricht. I want to tell you about the origins of each city and how their contemporary allure has been shaped through the ages. Of course, I will also mention some intriguing historical remnants that can still be seen today. Still awake? Okay great, here we go then!
In 990, Count Ansfried founded a Benedictine abbey on the edge of the marsh. In the century that followed, Thorn grew into a convent for unmarried women of high nobility. Thorn soon became known in the surrounding regions and principalities as a haven where young, noble women were groomed for marriage. With an influx from all over Europe, the village grew quickly. In 1007, it received market and toll rights, and in the 13th century, it was granted city rights. Around 1150, the convent was officially recognized as a principality, making it the smallest sovereign state in the Holy Roman Empire.
It enjoyed this status until the occupation by Napoleon in 1794. With the advance of the French, all the noble ladies fled, leaving only the poor inhabitants behind. At that time, taxes were levied based on window size. The poor population, living in the large remaining houses with big windows, could not afford to pay these taxes at all. So, they decided to brick up the windows and hide their deceit under a thick layer of white lime. This gave the buildings their characteristic white color. Since then, it has been a magnet for artists and tourists, attracting many visitors to this day.
Historical sights:
Roermond owes its name to its location between two arms of the Roer. A sacrificial stone from the 3rd century AD found in the area indicates that the site was inhabited during Roman times. Throughout centuries, a settlement developed on the Christoffelberg, near a trade route along the water. The first mention of this settlement is in old writings from 1130, where it is known as 'Ruremunde'. During his conflict with the Hohenstaufen, Emperor Otto IV destroyed the city in 1213, but fortunately, it was rebuilt in 1218, along with the stunning Munster Abbey. Roermond was granted city rights in 1232, and in the following centuries, the city was further expanded with walls and two monasteries.
During the Eighty Years' War, William of Orange conquered the city but caused such a massacre at the Carthusian Monastery that the population allowed the Spanish Don Frederick in with close to no resistance. In 1632 however, the city was recaptured by the Republic. During the French occupation, Roermond changed hands several times, but with the Treaty of London in 1839, the city permanently became part of the Netherlands. At the end of World War II, Roermond was on the front line for some time, resulting in 90% of all buildings suffering damage. As they had done so many times in the past, the inhabitants of Roermond rebuilt their city, allowing us to enjoy its beautiful past in the present.
Historical sights:
Findings from around 5300 years ago indicate that people already lived in Valkenburg during prehistoric times to mine flint. Remains of large Roman villas indicate the region was well known in antiquity as well. A document from 1041 recounts the German King Henry III giving several villages to his niece, including the place called Falschenberg. This is the first recorded mention of Valkenburg, as far as we know. Gosewijn I of Valkenburg built the first castle of Valkenburg around 1075, but it was destroyed in 1122 by Godfrey I of Leuven. The castle was rebuilt and significantly expanded over the centuries with extra towers, ramparts, and supporting structures. The fortress attracted people from the surrounding area, gradually leading to the formation of a village at the foot of the hill.
During the Eighty Years' War, Valkenburg was besieged many times and suffered greatly. However, the castle continued to hold out until the “Rampenjaar” (disastrous year) of 1672, when it was destroyed by retreating Dutch troops to prevent it from falling into French hands. During the Kulturkampf in Germany, Otto von Bismarck founded a number of monasteries in the region. In 1853, a railway line was also built along the town, making it more accessible. The castle ruins, the monasteries, and the small town soon became popular spots for tourists. The first tourist office (VVV) in the Netherlands was also established in Valkenburg.
Extra fact: the first fatal car accident in the Netherlands occurred in Valkenburg in 1901.
Historical sights:
In the past, the land in Limburg was marshy, riddled with ponds and swamps. Among the slush and muck, a high, dry piece of land, called a "waard," protruded above the rest. You guessed it, this is where the name "Weert" comes from. Even in prehistoric times, people saw the value of this dry land. We know this because a number of prehistoric tools and urn fields from the late Bronze Age have been excavated in the area. Weert was first mentioned in a charter from 1062. By that time, it had grown into a village on the main crossroads in the area. In 1306, all the rights of Weert were transferred to the Lords of Horne, who, in the following centuries, expanded the town with, among other things, Castle Nijenborgh, which was completely destroyed during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1702.
The most famous Count of Horne was Filip of Montmorency, a military leader and member of the League of Greats (together with William of Orange), who was beheaded in 1568 for his resistance against the Spanish Inquisition. The name 'Filip' or 'Philip' still carries weight in the city, with various streets and buildings named after him. After Filip's death, the city fell into decline and would only start flourishing again after the construction of the Zuid-Willemsvaart and the IJzeren Rijn railway in 1863.
After World War I, Weert industrialized, and factories gradually became more important than agriculture. During World War II, the town was part of the Peel-Raam Linie, a defensive line intended to hold off the Germans for as long as possible. When the Germans broke through, Weert was swiftly evacuated. The town was finally liberated by the British on September 22, 1944.
Historical sights:
Maastricht is one of few cities that may call itself "the oldest city in the Netherlands." Excavations of stone tools around 250,000 years old indicate that the area has been inhabited for the longest of times. The name Maastricht probably comes from the Latin Mosa Trajectum, meaning "ford in the Meuse." Maastricht was located at a Roman bridge, making it an important settlement at the time. Unlike the other cities in this blog, history concerning Maastricht from the early middle ages is well documented. The Saint Servatius Church, built in 560 and also known as the oldest church in the Netherlands, had a bishop's seat, making Maastricht a center of power within the Merovingian and Carolingian empires. In the year 1000, the city was significantly expanded under the chapter of Sint Servaas and Onze-Lieve Vrouw. The city owes many of its buildings and monuments to this period. Later, under Henry I of Brabant, a city wall was built, which you can still walk on today.
In the following centuries, Maastricht suffered from many violent religious conflicts, during which a lot of monuments and people perished as a result of Iconoclasm and the Spanish Fury. In 1579, Alexander Farnese of Spain recaptured the city, and in 1632, Maastricht came into the hands of the Dutch Republic. Later, under French rule, many valuable treasures were once again looted, destroyed, or sold. In 1814, Maastricht was named capital of the new province of Limburg. In the 19th century, it transformed into an industrial city, with significant glass, crystal, and pottery production. During World War II, the city was in German hands for four years, four months, and four days. Since then, Maastricht has grown significantly, with more services than industry today. In 1992, the city gained worldwide recognition when the Maastricht Treaty, which established the European Union, was signed there.
Historical sights:
I find it so beautiful that history still lives with us in the present through the stories and treasures that have been preserved. The towns around our resort each have their own unique tales that should be proudly cherished. It makes me think about the ground beneath Parc Maasresidence Thorn. What was here before us? Did someone come here to hunt or fish during the Stone Age? Did a bored princess once skip stones by the water? Did a British or Belgian soldier fall here during the liberation? Unfortunately, only a small part of history is preserved, and we will probably never find all the answers. Parc Maasresidence Thorn is still young, with a very short history, but who knows, maybe one day we will also get a footnote in some history book about the region... only time will tell.
