History
1st century AD.

Maastricht has a rich Roman past that can still be seen in some places. In many other places, you no longer see anything of it, but plenty of special stories from this era have been preserved. Follow the traces of the Romans in Maastricht.

Maastricht lies on the Via Belgica, a Roman trade route that used to run from the French coastal town of Boulogne-sur-Mer to Cologne. The Romans crossed southern Limburg on this route, but near present-day Maastricht they encountered a problem: the Meuse. In summer, the river was dry and then the Romans could easily cross it, but in winter, the riverbed filled up with rainwater. As a solution to this, they built a bridge so they could cross the river all year round.

A lively settlement with a port, trade and inns developed around the bridge. The Romans eventually stayed in this area for about 400 years and they named the settlement 'Mosa Trajectum'. The name Maastricht is derived from this Latin name meaning 'crossing by the Meuse'.

History is closer than you think! Walk into the Museum Cellar of Hotel Derlon on Onze-Lieve-Vrouweplein. In 1983, remnants of a Roman sanctuary were found here during a renovation, including a walled square with a Jupiter column. This was a place where Romans made offerings to the gods they worshipped. Building plans were immediately overturned and the basement of the hotel was turned into a museum. Admire the finds over a cup of coffee.

Museum cellar Derlon

Many Roman remains have been found in and around the Onze-Lieve-Vrouweplein square. These remains are kept in the museum cellar of Hotel Derlon. More info on Museumkelder Derlon

Museum cellar Derlon

Basilica of Our Lady

Close to the Derlon Hotel you will find the next landmark with Roman influences. This is because the largest blocks of stone from the Roman Castellum in Maastricht were reused in the construction of the Basilica of Our Lady. You can see them on the right side of the monumental façade. These are the last traces of the Roman presence to be seen in today's streetscape.

Basilica of Our Lady

Religious and non-religious visitors and residents alike often light a candle here. More info on Basilica of Our Lady

Basilica of Our Lady

Remains of the Roman bridge

From St Sint Servaasbrug bridge, you can see the spot where the Roman bridge once stood until it collapsed in the 13th century. During dredging work in 1964, remains of this bridge were found at the bottom of the Meuse. Based on this, it was determined that the bridge was located at a different spot from the current Sint Servaasbrug bridge. On the left side of the Maaspromenade, a column with a stone lion on it recalls the spot where the Roman bridge was located. The lion's head is a replica of the statue fished up from the Meuse. Did you know that divers regularly dive to the bottom of the Meuse to check the status of the bridge remains? Due to erosion, the state of the remains is deteriorating. A way to protect them is being considered.

Saint Servatius Bridge

The icon of Maastricht, named after the fourth bishop of Maastricht: Saint Servatius. More information about Saint Servatius Bridge

Saint Servatius Bridge

Basilica Of Saint Servatius

The Romans were the ones who introduced Christianity to Maastricht. Servatius, one of the bishops of the Romans, came to Maastricht at that time with his episcopal seat and he turned the settlement into an episcopal city. When he died, he was buried according to Roman custom. At that time, the Vrijthof was used to bury ashes of the deceased along with grave goods for the afterlife. Servatius was buried roughly at the site of today's Saint Servatius Basilica. His successors built a chapel over his grave and this later grew into Basilica Of Saint Servatius.

Basilica Of Saint Servatius

This oldest basilica in the Netherlands has one of the richest treasuries in Europe. More info on Saint Servatius Basilica

Basilica Of Saint Servatius
Vrijthof square

This romantic and historic square is Maastricht's largest. More info on Het Vrijthof

Vrijthof square

Like every Roman settlement, Maastricht had a bathhouse. Its remains were found during the renovation of Stokstraat in a courtyard now called 'Op de Thermen'. The contours of the Roman bathhouse have been made visible on the square with coloured tiles. The area around this square used to form the heart of the Roman settlement. More Roman remains are probably buried under the surrounding buildings.

Op de Thermen square

Op de Thermen is an intimate, quiet square in Maastricht, with a historical reference to a Roman bathhouse. More info on Op de Thermen

Op de Thermen square

Via Belgica is the name given in the 20th century to a 400-kilometre-long ancient Roman route. The Via Belgica ran from Boulogne-sur-Mer via Arras, Bavay, Tongres, Heerlen and Maastricht, among others, to Jülich and Cologne. Within today's national borders, the Via Belgica crossed the border in Dutch Limburg at Maastricht to continue its way past Meerssen, Valkenburg and Voerendaal. It then crossed the border with Germany via Heerlen and the village of Rimburg in Landgraaf.

Did you know that you can taste the Roman past in Maastricht too? In the Derlon Hotel restaurant, Roman influences and ingredients can be found on the menu, and at De Bisschopsmolen they bake with ingredients the Romans brought back. Examples include spelt used to make bread and cherries used as filling for Limburg flan. At Adriaan de Smaakmaker, you can buy 'Via Belgica Condimentum', a compote of pumpkin, apricots, dates, almonds and honey. These are exclusively ingredients that appeared in Roman cuisine.

Adriaan de Smaakmaker

At Adriaan de Smaakmaker you will find home-made mustard, jam, chutney, dressings, vinegars, mayonnaises and various regional products such as wine and apple-pear syrup since 1985. More about Adriaan de Smaakmaker

Adriaan de Smaakmaker
De Bisschopsmolen

This water mill was owned by Godfrey of Bouillon in the 11th century and by the Prince-Bishop of Liège after his death. More info on De Bisschopsmolen

De Bisschopsmolen

Roman walk

Want to see Maastricht's Roman hotspots with your own eyes? Head out with the special walking route we have put together.
View the route
Out and about with a guide

Would you like to discover these Roman sites and more with a guide? Explore Maastricht's Official Maastricht Guides will be happy to take you on a city walk.
To Explore Maastricht