What to do in Municipality of Maastricht

No trip to Maastricht is complete without a visit to the Vrijthof, the city’s largest square and certainly one of its most picturesque. This lovely, tree-lined square is paved with cobblestones and ringed with a mixture of grand historical monuments and stylish houses. Visit one of the city’s remarkable churches, catch a show at the Vrijthof Theatre, or simply sit back and watch the world go by from a café table.

St. Servaas, also known as St. Servatius, was an Armenian missionary who went on to be the first bishop of Maastricht. The city’s first stone churches were built after his arrival, and so a small church was built on the spot where he was buried in 384. Continually enlarged and rebuilt over the years, partly to accommodate the many pilgrims that flock to St. Servaas’ grave each year, that small church became the imposing Romanesque structure that stands there today.

Maastricht’s awe-inspiring Basilica of Our Lady (Onze Lieve Vrouwebasiliek) is a deeply historical attraction. Pay a visit to this dark, enchanting place, parts of which are over a thousand years old. The basilica is renowned for being home to the Star of the Sea chapel, where a wooden statue of Mary has drawn pilgrims from all over Europe over the course of many centuries. Admire the church’s mighty façade, explore its interior and look upon the splendid artefacts on display in the basilica’s Treasury.

The Bonnefanten Museum is home to one of the finest art collections in the Netherlands. In this striking Aldo Rossi-designed building, you will find modern and contemporary art exhibitions, with a focus on work from the area. A range of archaeological finds and a top-class sculpture collection are also on display.

The Centre Céramique was designed to be a new urban meeting place for the city of Maastricht, a city with a proud industrial past and a vibrant cultural present. This bold, modern building sits right in the cultural heart of the city, nestled in between the historic town centre and the hip Céramique district.