Maastricht is a municipality, and capital of the province of Limburg. The city is situated on both sides of the Meuse river (Maas in Dutch) in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands between Belgium and Germany. The name of city is derived from its Latin name Trajectum Ad Mosam (Mosa-crossing), referring to the bridge built by the Romans during the reign of Augustus Caesar.
For years, the city has been arguing with Nijmegen as to which of them is the oldest city in the Netherlands. Nijmegen was the first city with Roman city rights in what is now the Netherlands. Maastricht was the first with Medieval city rights, a system which evolved to the current system and, thanks to the Romans, the first settlement with city allure. However, Maastricht was without a doubt the first settlement in the Netherlands. Roman sources mention a Celtic (probably inhabited by the Eburones ) settlement at the location they used for the bridge. Other sources mention a Celtic settlement at a rivercrossing near where now Wyck is located.

Events & Festivals

• Carnival
• KunstTour
• Preuvenemint, culinary event in late August.
• The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF)
• Winterland

Sights

• Bassin, an inner harbour with various restaurants.
• The Helpoort and the city wall..
• The Hoge Fronten (also Linie van du Moulin), 17th/18th century bastion.
• The Kazematten, the tunnels beneath the Hoge Fronten.
• The Markt (Marketsquare) with the city hall.
• Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe square with the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw basilica.
• The statue of d'Artagnan in the Aldenhofpark.
• Various shopping streets e.g. the Stokstraatkwartier, the Grote Staat & Kleine Staat and the recently restored mall Entre Deux.
• Vrijthof square, with the Vrijthoftheatre (Theater aan het Vrijthof), the Saint Servatius basilica (Sint-Servaasbasiliek) and the Saint Johns church (Sint-Janskerk).