Page 377 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - The Netherlands

LIMBURG  375

5 Weert
Road Map C5. * 49,000. £
n Markt 11 (0495-534211). ( Sat.
The jewel of Weert is the
St Martinuskerk, one of the few
Late Gothic hall-type churches
in Holland (in hall-type churches,
the side aisles are equal in height
and width to the nave). When
restoration works were carried
out around 1975, paintings from
the 15th and 16th centuries
were discovered beneath the
layers of whitewash on the
vaulted ceilings. Before the high
altar (1790), by Italians Moretti
and Spinetti, lies the tomb of the Interior of the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwemunsterkerk in Roermond
lord of Weert, beheaded in 1568
on the order of Alva in Brussels. church of Our Lady), which 7 De Meinweg
Not far from the church is the was originally the church of a Road Map D6. * none. @ 78, 79.
Ursulinenhof, an example of a Cistercian abbey. The interior of n Beheerseenheid De Meinweg,
new building successfully the church is worth a visit. The Bezoekerscentrum, Meinweg 2,
integrated into a St Christoffel kathedraal, a Herkenbosch (0475-528500).
historical centre. Gothic cruciform basilica
Surrounding areas with a gilded statue of The national park of De Meinweg
such as Weerterbos St Christopher on the in the east of the province pos-
forest and the tower, dates from the sesses a unique natural beauty.
Nationaal Park early 15th century. The Nine hiking routes have been
De Grote Peel are Limburg asparagus church’s stained-glass laid out here. You can also tour
remnants of a region windows are by the local the park by horse-drawn cart,
of peat moors. glazier Joep Nicolas. accompanied by expert guides.
Roermond is by the
Maasplassen lakes, one of
6 Roermond the country’s largest areas for Dr PJH Cuypers
watersports. The lakes cover Architect Pierre Cuypers was
Road Map D5. * 57,000.
£ n Markt 17 (0475-335847). more than 300 ha (740 acres) born in Roermond in 1827. He
( Wed pm, Sat. and have a length of approxi- lived and worked both in his
mately 25 km (15 miles). The hometown and in Amsterdam.
The oldest church in the see Maasplassen were created One of Cuypers’ sons and one
of Roermond is the 13th- through large-scale gravel of his nephews also became
century Late Romanesque, quarrying in the Maas valley, renowned architects.
Early Gothic Onze-Lieve- which went on as far as Considered one of the prime
Vrouwemunsterkerk (minster Maaseik in Belgium. representatives of the
Netherlands Neo-Gothic,
Cuypers designed the Central
Station and the Rijksmuseum
in Amsterdam, and De Haar
castle in Haarzuilens. He was
also the architect and restorer
of countless churches,
including the munsterkerk
(minster church) in Roermond.

Munsterkerk in Roermond
The 1,600-ha (3,955-acre) De Meinweg national park

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