HEERLEN tourist attractions

Heerlen is a city with a very long history dating back to Roman times. Currently, due to the discovery of coal deposits in the 19th and early 20th centuries, it is known primarily as an industrial center. There are also famous modernist buildings by Dutch architect Fits Peutz, including Glaspaleis.

In the first centuries of our era, there was a Roman camp and a settlement for retired soldiers in the city today. The Thermal Museum was built in the place where the baths and public buildings were located at that time. You can see not only the ruins of the ancient, best-preserved buildings in the Netherlands, but also many architectural elements, sculptures, sarcophagi and ceramics.

After the period of Roman rule, the entire area changed its nationality many times. The city developed the best in the Middle Ages, being a local trading center. The Romanesque church of St. Pancras. Its present equipment is much newer, from the beginning of the 20th century, but the walls have retained their original character.

The wars for the independence of the Netherlands that started in the 16th century and the subsequent conflicts in Western Europe caused the city to decline. It was reborn only at the end of the 19th century due to the discovery of large hard coal deposits. In the interwar period, the center was rebuilt in a modernist style. The works were led by Fits Peutz, whose designs can still be seen here.

Interesting places can also be found on the outskirts and in the immediate vicinity of Heerlen. The most famous monument here is the medieval Hoensbroek Castle, which houses numerous pieces of equipment from the 15th to 18th centuries. In turn, outside the town there are extensive peat bogs and Brunssummerheide swamps with bicycle and walking paths. They are protected by a nature reserve and belong to Natura 2000 sites. Heerlen also has an interesting attraction for families. The Children's City of Heerlen operates here.