Roermond is a municipality and also a city in the south east of Holland in the province of Limburg. It is a historical city which sits, picturesquely on the banks of the Roer. The city has been an important trading center for hundreds of years. The town center has some lovely old buildings and the middle of the city has been established as an area for conservation. It has a population of around 57,000 people.
The History Of Roermond
The Romans built the first town in this place, now one of the suburbs, they also built a good stone bridge there. From around the end of the 12th century and for nearly 400 years Roermond was owned by the Duchy of Guelders. At the start of the 13th century the town was laid waste by the German king, But after only 20 years the city had been rebuilt. During the 100 years war the French put the city under siege. In 1441 Roermond joined The Hanseatic League, an important move from both a trading and a defensive point of view.
Between the mid 16th and the early 18th centurys the area was subject to Spanish rule. At the beginning of the 80 Years War the city was taken back by the Dutch, but was quickly reclaimed by the Spanish. While they were in charge of city, the Spanish brought the locals back to Catholicism to such an extent that when the Protestant Dutch reclaimed the city, the locals did not trust them and preferred their former Spanish overlords.
For the next 150 years the ownership of the city changed hands between the Dutch, the Austrian Netherlands and the French, finally being liberated by forces from the Russian army. After the 1814 treaty Roermond became again part of The Netherlands. In 1830 the matter was decided when the Dutch and the Belgium’s went their separate ways and 9 years after this, the area was separated into 2 parts and Roermond stayed with The Netherlands. In the Second World War Roermond was occupied by the German army, until US troops liberated the city towards the end of the war. During the war 9 out of 10 buildings suffered some from of damage or total destruction. But after the war the city was brought back to life, with the rebuilding and restoration of many of the properties.
Getting To And Around Roermond
Roermond has a good train service. You can get to Roermond by train directly from, Maastricht, Weert, Venlo, Nijmegen, Sittard, Heerlen, Eindhoven and Amsterdam. If you are arriving in the Netherlands at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, you can get a train from Amsterdam to Roermond. If you would rather drive then you can hire a car at the airport. It’s about a 2 hour drive from Amsterdam, depending on traffic. As with many, old Dutch cities a car is not really the best way to get around town. Aside from congestion there is limited parking and when you do find some, it can be very expensive.
Probably the easiest way to get around town is to take the bus. There is a quick and efficient local service, But if you are going to use the buses then you need to get an ov-chipkaart to pay for your travel. If you would like to try out the local transport, then you can hire a bicycle. There is a good network of cycle routes and they are cheap to hire. If you would like to hire a taxi, you can call one on, Taxi Roermond, +31 475 332 367, or Regiotaxi, +31 (0) 475 78 81 21
Tourism In Roermond
The Cuypershuis Museum Roermond is dedicated to the well known Dutch Architect Pierre Cuypers. There are exhibitions dedicated to his life and work and the building in which the museum is housed was designed by him and as such, is also part of the collection. The History House is a museum that is dedicated to the history of Roermond. It has exhibitions concerning trade, politics, monasteries and art. It is a great space in which to explore the history and changes that brought about the Roermond of today.
Shopping And Eating In Roermond
Designer outlet Roermond is a big store where you can get large discounts of up to 70% on designer brands such as Gucci, Diesel, Hugo boss and many others. It is a great place to go if you love shopping for designer clothes as they have around 200 brands in the store. Retail Park Roermond is a large shopping center and retail park. as it is slightly outside of the main shopping area, the stores here are much larger and are able to offer larger ranges. There is also some excellent shopping to be had in the town center.
The Wieck Bar And Grill is a great place to go if you like good quality meat and burgers. With everything from ribs to scampi salads, you should be able to find something for everyone. It is a fairly small, but stylish, bar and restaurant where you can get good beer and food at a reasonable price.
De Gelegenheid is not the biggest of restaurants, but it is a cosy and friendly place with good Dutch food. The food is not only good it is very well presented with the kind of skill that you would associate with a more expensive place. If you have a good appetite then go for the four course menu you won’t regret it. Da Mauro is a very good Italian restaurant, with fine food and helpful, friendly staff. You will find good Italian cooking as it should be done. There is also a good and extensive list of drinks, with something for every one and all at a very reasonable price.
Roermond is a great little town that is surrounded by some really nice countryside. It is also a great place to shop, with several outlets selling low priced designer goods. It also has some good restaurants and some lovely architecture as well.
