Frontenpark

To show Maastricht residents and visitors to the city the way, through the exciting Sphinxkwartier and Frontenpark, the city walk 'Sphinxkwartier-Frontenpark: industrial and quirky' has been developed. This walk is on sale at the Maastricht Store or via the webshop.

Frontenpark is anything but what you expect from a city park. No tightly laid and stately maintained park here, but an exciting and rough piece of nature in the city. The Frontenpark, some 20 hectares in size, is also described as the rough backyard of the Sphinx Quarter. Years of neglect have allowed nature to run wild. There is now plenty of space and attention for everything that lives and flourishes, cultural heritage and the opportunity to organise events. Within the Frontenpark flaunts 'The Curl'. This is a remnant of the old exit of the Noorderbrug that remained standing as a reminder. The striking concrete colossus is now a vantage point and offers a unique view of both the Frontenpark and the Sphinx Quarter.

At the level of the Railway Bridge, steel decking has been constructed over the water to keep the route along the water. Here you will find the old fortifications. These were breached in the past so that the Lage Fronten could be used as a harbour. In recent years, the ramparts have been taken in hand to prevent further decay.

Gashouder
A little further on, you can see the large round Gashouder, surrounded by the city meadow. The Gashouder was used until the 1960s as a storage shed for gas extracted from burning coal in the adjacent Cokes factory. On the city meadow, walkers can rest and enjoy a picnic. The grounds are also used for small-scale events or festivals.

The Radium: creative breeding ground
Across the street is The Radium, the collective name for the buildings that make up the factory site where tyres and rubber used to be manufactured. Today, it is bustling with (re)creative and cultural activity. The five striking buildings (built according to the architectural style of 'Het Nieuwe Bouwen') that make up Het Radium are the Cokesfabriek, the Kunstfront, LABgebouw, the Gashouder and the former factory chimney. They create an industrial atmosphere in this area. Around the Gashouder, you have a nice view of the restored fortifications and the Eiffel Building. You will also find several locations for recreation such as the Boulderhal and Roomescape.

Low and High Fronten
Today, the Low and High Fronten are reconnected by a 120-metre-long dry moat through which you can walk. This has brought the two nature and fortress areas back together and allows animals and walkers to cross safely. In the subway, an eco-wall has been constructed on the north side to serve as a home for the wall lizard and bats. From here, the Hoge Fronten (High Fronts) begin, running up to Lambertus Church. This nature reserve is definitely worth a visit. The Hoge Fronten have long been a favourite walking area for residents. A protected natural monument dotted with remains of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century fortifications, also known as the 'Line of Du Moulin'.