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Maastricht Year
2026 is the Maastricht Year: a city-wide programme that brings Maastricht's rich history back to life. With performances, parties and a big city parade, historical stories will be rediscovered and celebrated, by and for all Maastricht people.
The Maastricht Year consists of eight major events spread throughout the city, supplemented by smaller activities throughout the year. From textile tiles forming one big carpet to dancing on the Koningsplein. From the Jeker Quarter in (Petit) Parisian atmosphere to the big City Parade through the city centre: each event connects place, story and people.
The programme was developed by a broad network of cultural and social organisations. All activities are freely accessible so that no one is left on the sidelines. This way, Maastricht's history is not only remembered, but experienced: as a starting point for new encounters, unexpected collaborations and shared perspectives.
Celebrate the Maastricht year! By looking back together, we discover what connects us today.
" Built by history. Connected by people. "
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Experience
Maastricht YearThroughout the year, there are various events and activities to experience and witness the Maastricht Year.
Programming
Throughout the year, the city hosts activities and events in which the past comes to life again. Not to look back out of nostalgia, but to discover what connects us, then and now. This is how we build a city together in which solidarity, understanding and pride are central.
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The City Parade
Special performances in the city centre revive Maastricht's past. The day ends with a collective procession, inspired by 1905, where past and present merge festively.
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City programming
Major events will take place that bring Maastricht history back to life, featuring historical figures and moments, in a creative way that focuses on both the story of the past and collaboration.
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District programming
District programming uses the history of neighbourhoods and districts to connect streets and residents. New and existing initiatives are part of the Maastricht Year, bringing together history, cooperation and connection.
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Participate as a participant?
More informationWould you like to participate in the Maastricht Year 2026? As a participant, you contribute to activities and collaborations that bring Maastricht history to life and strengthen the connection between residents.
Maastricht through the years: - from past to present
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Chalk
Chalk
Seventy million years ago, the area of today's Maastricht city centre was knee-deep in the shallow waters of the subtropical Cretaceous Sea that covered southern Limburg.
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Roman fortress
Roman fortress
Maastricht harbours a rich Roman past, partly visible in the city, partly preserved in special stories that you can follow along the traces of the Romans.
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Religious hotspot
Religious hotspot
Maastricht has many religious sites, recalling its being a European religious hotspot, where you can admire the heritage and pause for a moment, even without faith.
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Middle Ages
Middle Ages
From 1204, Maastricht was divided between the duke of Brabant and the prince-bishop of Liège, with the construction of stone city walls protecting the city in the Middle Ages and allowing it to grow into a prosperous centre.
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Garrison city
Garrison city
Maastricht's location on the Meuse and Via Belgica made it a garrison town for centuries, with fortifications still visible in parts.
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Early industrial city
Early industrial city
In the 19th century, Maastricht became the Netherlands' first industrial city, with large pottery and glass factories by Petrus Regout, much of whose heritage can still be seen in the Sphinx Quarter.
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World War II
World War II
In 1940, Dutch soldiers blew up bridges to defend Maastricht, but German tanks entered Wyck anyway, and later the city lost hundreds of inhabitants due to the occupation.
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International university city
International university city
Maastricht almost makes you feel abroad, thanks to its southern atmosphere, burgundian lifestyle and the fact that half of its university students come from abroad.
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Maastricht Treaty
Maastricht Treaty
On 7 February 1992, the Maastricht Treaty was signed in Maastricht, establishing the European Union and making the city a symbol of European unity.
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New developments
New developments
In 2018, the King Willem-Alexander Tunnel opened, bringing the A2 connection under Maastricht and giving the city a quiet, green avenue atop the Groene Loper.
