André Rieu walking route

The walk starts at The Dinghuis / Maastricht Store, Kleine Staat 1. This historic Gothic court was built between the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Turn left onto Kleine Staat and take the second left towards Maastrichter Smedenstraat.

You are at the beginning of the Stokstraat Quarter. This was once a poor working-class district. Now it is one of Maastricht's most upmarket shopping areas. You are currently standing on the old Roman castellum. This is where the Romans built a fortified settlement in the 4th century to secure their bridge across the Maas. They named their settlement Mosae Trajectum, now called Maastricht.

Turn into the first street on the right, Havenstraat, and go down the steps on the left towards Op de Thermen square. On the right, you can see contours in the pavement where the Gallo-Roman baths and corner towers were excavated. Continue straight along Morenstraat and turn right towards Stokstraat, Maastricht's most expensive shopping street. Stokstraat is probably named after the prison that once stood here.

At the intersection with Plankstraat is the bronze statue of Dutch sculptor Arthur Spronken. If you turn right onto Plankstraat, you come out onto Onze Lieve Vrouweplein, with the Basilica of Our Lady on the left. This basilica, made of marl, was built before the year 1000 (the nave dates from the 12th century) and is one of the oldest churches in the Netherlands. The church has two crypts: one under the east choir and one under the west building. The Romanesque choir, built in the 12th century, is a striking feature with two floors, each with its own colonnade.

Leave the church via the Sterre der Zee chapel, turn left on the square and turn left again. You now walk along the south facade of the church towards the Maas. At the corner of Graanmarkt and Stokstraat is one of the few remaining guardhouses, built in 1786. The guardhouse was built to replace the medieval Onze-Lieve-Vrouwepoort, which was demolished in 1868.

Walk back to the Graanmarkt and go up the steps to Onze Lieve Vrouwe city wall on the left. This wall was built in 1229 as part of the first medieval city wall and was also part of the second city wall, built in 1294. At the end of the city wall, go down the steps.

You are now at the Helpoort. This is the oldest city gate in the Netherlands. You can see the groove that runs along the sides of the arch structure, which was used for lowering the portcullis originally present in the gate. Above the gate entrance, you can see an extension of the structure, in the floor of which there used to be holes that could be used to throw projectiles at the enemy.

Opposite the Helpoort gate is the Pesthuys, an old water mill that was built in 1775 and served as a paper mill. The mill's name, which means "plague house" in Dutch, is derived from the plague victims who were cared for nearby. Pass the Pesthuys on the right and cross the Jeker.

Turn immediately right after crossing the bridge. The tower you see is the Father Vinck tower. Here you can see the remains of the second city wall, as well as part of the first city wall connecting the tower to the Helpoort gate. Next to the tower on the left, you can see the former convent of the Faliezusters or Veiled Sisters. These cosy little houses with their red and white shutters are remnants of the convent. They were built in 1647 in the distinctive Maasland Renaissance style. The Faliezusters (a monastic order of nuns) lived by the rules of the Franciscan monks, who lived in the large convent behind the convent.

Not on the route, but a good tip: The Natural History Museum is at the end of Grote Looiersstraat. This museum is dedicated to the natural environment of southern Limburg. Some of the best-known exhibits include fossils of a giant Mosasaur and giant turtles found in the marl layers under St Peter's Mountain.

Turn right into Achter de Molens and immediately cross the street. On your left, you will see a beautiful stone plaque and chronogram adorning the former Duke's Mill. Go straight ahead to Klein Grachtje, which runs parallel to the first city wall.

Continue along Verwerhoek and turn left into Lenculenstraat at the end of the street. Further down this street is a building that was built in 1690 as a Protestant orphanage and now houses the Toneelacademie Maastricht.

If you turn right into Bouillonstraat, you will see the old Gouvernement building further on the right. This building was built between 1930 and 1935 and decorated by artists from Limburg. It now houses Universiteit Maastrichts Faculty of Law. Cross Bouillonstraat and walk up the hill to the Sint-Servaas Monastery. On the right is the guardhouse, built in 1770, of the old Gouvernement building, where the posts on both sides of the door are decorated with victor's symbols.

Walking up the hill, you pass several beautiful 18th-century canon houses, formerly owned by the chapter of Saint Servatius. You are now in Hendrik van Veldeke Square, where you will see a bronze statue of Henric van Veldeke, the first Dutch poet. The statue, created by Charles Vos in 1934, commemorates Veldeke, who is known for the legend of Saint Servatius, which he wrote around 1160. The building on the right side of this square is the former city palace of the high provost of the chapter of Saint Servatius.

The left side dates back to 530, when it was just a small crypt church. Construction of this impressive church began around 950. Extensions to the church were added regularly until the 15th century. It is the only church in the Netherlands built over the grave of a saint: Saint Servatius, the first bishop of Maastricht and the patron saint of the city. As a result, the church also became a place of pilgrimage. The massive west building (1200) has a fortress-like appearance. If you walk further, the entrance to the church is on the other side, on Charles V square.

Walking down the stairs between Basilica Of Saint Servatius and Sint Janskerk (St. John's Church), you come out onto Vrijthof.

To the left of Saint Servatius Basilica is the former head guard building, where the keys to all city gates were kept at night.

On the right is the Museum Fotomuseum aan het Vrijthof. This building used to belong to the Chapter of Saint Servatius and later to the Spanish and Brabant governorates and the court for the Dukes of Brabant and the Dukes of Burgundy. Emperor Charles V and Philip II also stayed here when they visited the city. The building dates back to the 14th century and is the oldest building in the city. Now it is the Fotomuseum aan het Vrijthof and presents three to four new exhibitions a year.

Cross the square diagonally to the left and leave Vrijthof on the side of the terraces.

Turn right into the Grand State. Immediately turn left. On your right is the Dominican Church, now the Boekhandel Dominicanen. Dating back to the 13th century, this church is built entirely of marl on a base of gravel stone. The wall paintings on the inside date from 1337 and are of great cultural-historical importance. In 2006, the church was fully restored and now houses a bookshop. Return to the Grote Staat and walk back to 't Dinghuis in the Kleine Staat. This concludes this walk.