Roermond fotografie

ROERMOND AREA

Munsterkerk and Munsterplein Kathedraal and Markt area Night photography
Swalmerstraat Old center town Suburb Sint-Jacob
Asselt, Beesel Kessel, Neer, Buggenum Leudal
Linne area Montfort area Stevensweert
Ohe-en-Laak Thorn Wessem
Sittard Susteren Wind mills near Stramproy
Click on a thumbnail to view the series.

 

Roermond means literally: fortified place (Mundum, latin) at the river Roer. The area of what is now Roermond has been inhabited from pre-historic times. In the later medieval ages population increased and from then we notice the existence of important buildings, of which the Munsterkerk remains until nowadays. This church was built by order of Count Gerard van Gelre and was from origin an abbey church. Count van Gelre and his wife are buried in a tomb in the Munsterkerk. The Munsterkerk is one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful of the late-Romanesque churches of the Rhineland. In 1232 Roermond received city-rights and became surrounded by city-walls, of which the Rattentoren survived. In the 15th century the town entered the Hanseatic League and became the capital of Opper-Gelre. Roermond expanded outside the old area and its population increased. From this period are the St.Christopher's Cathedral and several churches, of which the Minderbroederskerk has stood the ages. Roermond also still possesses two Gothic houses, one in the Brugstraat, the other in the Luifelstraat. The Spanish occupation of the 16th/17th century left its marks in the town. Two fires, one in 1554, the other in 1665, burnt down almost the whole town. As by miracle, the two main churches ware spared. From the year after the second fire (1666) two distinct buildings are remaining: the Townhall and the Steenen Trappen. The latter is an eminent example of the so-called Maaslandse Renaissance style. After the Spanish period, Roermond came under Austrian guardianship and after that it became French under Napoleon. For a short time it was Belgian and at last it became Dutch in 1867. Imposing buildings of the 18th century are the Louisa Tehuis, the Bisschoppelijk Paleis and a few old houses in the Voorstad-Sint Jacob, at the other side of the Roer. Many houses of the 19th century are still there: the Swalmerstraat and the Steegstraat are beautiful examples of the distinct building style in that period. The great Roermond architect Pierre Cuypers (builder of the Rijksmuseum and the Central Railway Station in Amsterdam) restored the Munsterkerk in the second half of the 19th century. He added two west tours of which the base was already there and changed the dome. The interior was decorated with neo-gothic ornaments. The house were Cuypers had his workshop is now the city museum. Another well-known artist coming of Roermond was the stained-glass artist Joep Nicolas. Roermond has now about 40000 inhabitants.

The historic center of Roermond harbours many beautiful buildings like the Munsterkerk, Cathedral, Steenen Trappen, Godshuis, Kraanpoort. There are also aristocratic streets like the Swalmerstraat, Munsterstraat, Neerstraat and there is the historic suburb Sint-Jacob. A bit to the north of Roermond lies Asselt and still more to the north, near Swalmen, lies Beesel. Two nice locations at the Maas. Asselt with its romanesque little church and its yacht-basin and Beesel with its mill and castle. See also the castle page of this site. Thorn isa pittoresque place which used to be of importance within the roman catholique church. Testimony of this are the abbey church and many stately houses. Most of the houses are painted white, an old tradition. In Maasbracht and Linne are villages with arbours and stews, two places with much diversion. Stevensweert is a pittoresque place at the Maas, with beautiful, old houses and its original road plan. Nearby lies Ohe-en-Laak, with its Hompesche Molen and HasselholtCastle, a nice, Renaissance building. Beegden and Grathem are wo villages situated west of Roermond, with many old houses, mills and surrounded by nature. The Beegderheide is a nature reservate of great beaty. Nunhem and Haelen are situated in a nice area with a lot of nature and several old buildings, under which the Ursulakapel in the Leudal. Susteren is a remarquable place because of its basilica. A fine, romanesque building, especially its interior. Sittard is a sistertown of Roermond, with an attractive, old center and many old, historic buildings. Especially the Market Place is a good place to be.

Before viewing the pictures please check the contrast adjustment on your monitor. You can use my test strip below which I have designed for this purpose. For best viewing, use a gamma value of 2.2 and set the contrast control mode in a position until each individual black and white square (16 in total) is visible.