Southern Netherlands
Art, History & Archaeology Sites & Museums

Located on the Vrijthof in Maastricht, the impressive Basilica of Saint Servatius dates largely from the 11th and 12th centuries. Medieval church enthusiasts will be interested in its various Romanesque sculptural elements. The site itself has had an ecclesiastical presence for a longer period, with Saint Servatius reportedly buried here in 384, after which an early medieval structure grew up around it, later replaced by the present church. It remains an active place of Roman Catholic worship and hosts concerts throughout the year.

Bouvigne Castle existed in some form from at least the 16th century, when it is recorded in historical documentation. In 1614, William of Orange bought the property and transformed it in accordance with the Renaissance styles that were popular at the time, thus resulting in its present appearance. Although the castle, as well as its accompanying chapel and coach house, is unfortunately not open to the public, today’s visitors can still explore the three early 20th-century gardens, one each in the English, French, and German styles.

To the west of Burgh Haamstede are the remains of a vast and complex system of bunkers and underground shelters, interconnected by concrete tunnels. This was the command headquarters of the ‘Stützpunktgruppe Schouwen’. It was from here that operations over the entire Schouwen-Duiveland area were directed. The area played a crucial role in the final months of the war. In particular from 4 September until 8 November 1944 during the Battle for the Scheldt, when the Allies sought to take control of the route into Antwerp.

Opened in January 1943, Camp Vught, or Konzentrationslager Herzogenbusch, held around 33,000 prisoners from 36 countries. Records suggest 749 prisoners died in the camp – their bodies cremated in the onsite crematorium. Many prisoners were transferred to other camps before it was liberated by the Allies in September 1944. A permanent exhibition allows visitors to explore the history of the camp via personal stories. Barracks 1B is the last remaining barrack that was in use at the camp. After the liberation of the camp, it was used to house German soldiers and Dutch collaborators.

The WWII complex bunkers at De Punt, Widerstandsnest 220 H, were entirely covered by the shifting dunes. Although the delta island of Goeree-Overflakkee delta was not strategically important, it was an essential part of the Atlantic Wall. The clear trajectory for cannon fire towards the entrance of the Grevelingen between Goeree and Schouwen called for a heavy infantry post here. Thanks to the work of volunteers, the complex of 15 bunkers is once again visible, and accessible throughout the year, with tours offered on memorial days.

With 2,617 soldiers buried in the Canadian War Cemetery near Groesbeek, it is the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the Netherlands. The reason there are so many Canadians buried here (2,339) is because, with one exception, the Canadians who lost their lives in the Rhineland battles of Operation Veritable were either buried or re-buried here. The commander of Canadian forces in Europe ordered that no Canadian soldiers be buried in German soil. Soldiers from eight other countries are also buried here.

Marking the spot where a motte-and-bailey fortification stood in the 11th-century, Heeswijk Castle displays a thousand years of architectural development. Over the course of the Middle Ages a defensive stone castle emerged, one that was besieged and conquered in 1629. In the 1830s, the wealthy baron André van den Bogaerde van Terbrugge assumed ownership of the castle and oversaw its further transformation with the addition of Neo-Gothic elements that help give it its fairy-tale appearance. Open since the 1950s, it showcases the lives of the elite individuals who resided here.

The American cemetery in Margraten is the only American military cemetery in the Netherlands. In just over 65 hectares, 8288 American service men have been laid to rest. The names of a further 1722 soldiers who were never recovered are recorded on the walls of the Court of Honour at the entrance to the cemetery. At the centre of the Court is the memorial tower. In the visitor building large engraved maps illustrate the military operations of the American armed forces in the area.

First recorded in 14th-century documents, Schaloen Castle remained in the same family for several generations before Louis of Nassau occupied it in 1574. Not long after, in 1575, Spanish troops demolished the castle, which was then rebuilt in the 17th century, with only a few Gothic elements surviving. In 1894, the Dutch architect P.H.J. Cuypers oversaw substantial renovations of the structure, resulting in its present Neo-Gothic appearance. Schaloen is now a private residence and hotel, offering visitors the rare opportunity to spend the night in a castle.

Opened to the public in 2005, this structure in the Zeeland village of Colijnsplaat is a modern reconstruction of an ancient Roman temple. The original was excavated at nearby Ganuenta, which in the second century AD was a regional centre for trade on the fringes of the Roman Empire. The temple was originally dedicated to the local goddess Nehalennia; it is unclear whether this divinity was of linguistically Germanic or Celtic origin, but it appears likely that she attracted worship from speakers of both language groups.