Eijsden, Maastricht and Plattenberg

The hilly landscape of Limburg is wonderful for cycling. The reward of a climb to the top of the hills is worth it, because you are rewarded with beautiful views over a green landscape, in which picturesque villages and the cozy Maastricht can be seen on the horizon, while driving down requires no effort at all. costs more. The atmospheric center of Maastricht will make a lasting impression on you. Here you can taste the atmosphere of the Limburg capital and it becomes clear why Maastricht is known as one of the nicest cities in the Netherlands. From the parking lot you cycle to the Graanmolen in Eijsden. This undershot water mill from 1788 ground corn, but has not been used since the 1950s. As a result, the mill and the waterworks fell into poor condition. Although the mill was completely restored in 1980, it is no longer used for its original purpose. When you have cycled through Eijsden, you will come across Eijsden Castle at the end of that place. This castle is also called'de Borg\\\' or'Laag Caestertburg\\\' and is a national monument. The current castle was built in 1636, rebuilt in 1767 and then restored. It consists of two wings at right angles to each other, both of which have a heavy corner tower on the outside. The whole is surrounded by a moat and the castle has a gatehouse with a forecourt. The park, which was created in 1900, is freely accessible. This way you gradually get closer to cozy Maastricht, where you can see the Faliezusterskloosters. The monastery was founded in 1350 under the name Monastery of St. Catherine, but the name soon referred to the monastic dress of the sister order: the nuns wore a veil or falie over their faces. After a major fire, the monastery was rebuilt between 1647 and 1652 in the style of the Maastricht Renaissance. Maastricht is also home to De Leeuwenmolen, a watermill that is also called Clemens' Mill. The current medium-speed mill is located on the Jeker River and dates from 1694, the year that is also stated in a gable stone and in which the mill was rebuilt. The mill, which is largely white, is made of marlstone, Namur bluestone and brick. The top facade used to be decorated with the statue of a lion, from which the mill owes its name. After 1950 the mill was hardly used to grind grain and in 1956 all professional activities were stopped. As a result, the mill fell into serious disrepair. On the northern flank of the Sint-Pietersberg there is a fort that was built in 1701 and 1702: Fort St. Pieter. The pentagonal fort defended the southern walls of Maastricht and experienced a French attack in 1794. At the beginning of the nineteenth century it was modernized to keep up with the times, but after the dissolution of the Maastricht fortress in 1867, the fort lost its defensive function. When you cross the border, you will come across another fort. Fort Eben-Emael is located in the Belgian town of the same name. The fort was part of the fortress belt around Liège and had seventeen bunkers that were connected underground. It was considered the strongest fortress in the world and seemed impregnable to enemy forces. Nevertheless, the Germans managed to capture the fort in 1940, using the advantage of surprise, speed and new military techniques.