Eijsden
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| Eijsden | |
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| Country | Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Province | Limburg |
| Area (2006) | |
| - Total | 20.76 km² (8 sq mi) |
| - Land | 19.75 km² (7.6 sq mi) |
| - Water | 1.01 km² (0.4 sq mi) |
| Population (1 January 2007) | |
| - Total | 11,642 |
| - Density | 589/km² (1,525.5/sq mi) |
| Source: CBS, Statline. | |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
Eijsden (pronunciation ) is a municipality and a place in the south of the Dutch province of Limburg. As this province is the most southerly of the country, whereas Eijsden is one of the most southerly places in this province, it is also one of the most southerly places in the Netherlands. The municipality is extending up to the border between the Netherlands and (the French-speaking Wallonia region of) Belgium in her south. On her westside the river Meuse forms the frontier between both mentioned countries.
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[edit] History
Eijsden is one of the oldest communities in the country. It's name may come from the Germanic word for aspen forest. Excavations have revealed a Roman settlement. In the Middle Ages, this settlement developed to a village. After the (feudal) Middle Ages, in the seventeenth century Eijsden gained in economic strength because of its position near the Dutch-Belgian frontier on the Meuse river. Its function as a trading and shipping centre attracted settlement of well-to-do merchants from Holland. This period of prosperity ended in the Napoleonic era when, for a time, the area ceased to be a frontier.
[edit] Economy
Apart from trading and shipping, the Eijsden economy has had an agricultural character, with a focus on fruit growing. At one time, in Eijsden the Netherland's largest local fruittree area was situated. In 1870, a zinc-white factory brought increased industrial activity to the region, bringing jobs and air pollution. Zinc-white manufacture originally employed 700 workers, and today employs around 300). In the second half of the 20th century, many orchards were replaced by housing, dairy farming, industry and water (as a result of extended gravel extraction). Nowadays Eijsden is largely residential.
[edit] Village or town?
The Eijsden municipality is composed of several population centres, of which the one named Eijsden is the largest, with 7000 inhabitants. Most of the other population centers are still separated from the main one, and are rather small, so it seems more correct to describe the municipality as a village, or collection of villages than as a town.
[edit] Population centres
- Eijsden
- Breust
- Gronsveld
- Mariadorp
- Mesch
- Oost-Maarland
- Rijckholt
- Withuis
[edit] Sights
- The seventeenth century Renaissance style castle of Eijsden is one of the top hundred buildings in the country, according to the Unesco-list.
- Other castles are in Gronsveld, in Rijckholt and in Oost.
[edit] Music
In the municipality of Eijsden two military bands are based ('the blue' and 'the red'), that belong both to the highest national division.
[edit] Famous Natives of Eijsden
- Eugène Dubois- Anatomist/Anthropologist
- Jef Vliegen (Gronsveld) - Filmproducer; (best known: "Dokter Vlimmen")
- Jo Maas, former cyclist, stage winner and seventh in end-classification of 1997 Tour de France.
[edit] External links
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