VALKENBURG AAN DE GEUL - PAREL VAN ZUID-LIMBURG
HD video van Valkenburg aan de Geul, de parel van Zuid-Limburg
Exploring the touristic city of Valkenburg aan de Geul in Limburg, The Netherlands
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Valkenburg (Limburgs: Valkeberg of Vallekeberg; Frans: Fauquemont) is een stad in de Nederlandse gemeente Valkenburg aan de Geul, gelegen in het Zuid-Limburgse Heuvelland. Valkenburg heeft een sterk toeristisch karakter. De historische stadskern met zijn vele horecagelegenheden, het omliggende heuvelland en een groot aantal toeristische attracties en evenementen vormen de belangrijkste publiekstrekkers. Het belangrijkste evenement qua aantal bezoekers is Kerststad Valkenburg, de verzamelnaam voor een aantal activiteiten in de maand december, waaronder meerdere kerstmarkten in mergelgrotten en een wekelijkse christmas parade. In 2014 trok dit evenement, dat door de Amerikaanse televisiezender CNN geplaatst werd op een lijst met twaalf beste bestemmingen om de Kerst door te brengen, meer dan een miljoen bezoekers.
De bekendste attracties in Valkenburg zijn:
Gemeentegrot, Fluweelengrot, Romeinse Katakomben, Steenkolenmijn Valkenburg, MergelRijk en andere mergelgrotten
Museum Land van Valkenburg
Wilhelminatoren en Kabelbaan Valkenburg
Rotspark en Openluchttheater Valkenburg
Kuurpark, Thermae 2000 en Holland Casino
Pretpark De Valkenier, openluchtzwembad Konincswinkel en overdekt zwembad Polfermolen
Sprookjesbos Valkenburg
Amstel Gold Race Xperience
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Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality situated in the southeastern Dutch province of Limburg. The name refers to the central town in the municipality, Valkenburg, and the small river Geul. Sieges and conquests have been the recurrent theme in the history of Valkenburg, especially in connection with Valkenburg castle, seat of the counts of Valkenburg (or Falkenburg). It was here that Beatrice of Falkenburg grew up, who, in 1269 at the age of 15, married 60-year-old Richard of Cornwall, king of the Holy Roman Empire. In December 1672 the castle was once again destroyed by Dutch troops led by William III, trying to prevent the armies of Louis XIV of France from capturing it, this time not to be rebuilt.
In the 19th century, because of the natural environment of the area, Valkenburg became a holiday destination for the well-to-do in the Netherlands. Tourism developed, especially after in 1853 the railway from Maastricht to Heerlen and Aachen opened. Valkenburg railway station is the oldest surviving station in the Netherlands. In the beginning of the 20th century, Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers lived in Valkenburg for several years. He helped develop tourism by designing a hotel, an open-air theater and a copy of the catacombs of Rome. He also restored the medieval church and designed several tombs and a chapel in Gothic Revival style in a graveyard situated on Cauberg, a steep hill outside the town center.
These days Valkenburg is known for its tourist attractions:
Valkenburg castle, of which only a ruin remains;
several other castles, castle farms and stately homes, mostly situated along the Geul river;
Oud-Valkenburg, a small village along the Geul with a particularly picturesque ensemble of a gothic church, two castles (Genhoes and Schaloen) and several historic farmsteads, all in local marlstone;
several watermills, two in the old town;
parts of the city walls and two of three city gates survived (Berkelpoort and Grendelpoort; there are plans for the third gate to be rebuilt);
old court building (Spaans Leenhof);
Saint Nicolas church, a Gothic church in Valkenburg with some late Medieval wood carvings;
Saint Gerlachus church in nearby Houthem Sint-Gerlach, with Baroque frescos by Johann Adam Schöpf, painted on marl;
several former marl quarries (locally called 'caves', although they are largely man-made), offering guided tours; some have interesting charcoal drawings and marl sculptures, one has been recreated as the catacombs of Rome (designed by Pierre Cuypers), another one as a coal mine; in the winter Christmas markets are held in some quarries;
a 30-metre-high (98-foot) viewing tower (Wilhelminatoren) atop a hill, connected to the town below by aerial lift;
Thermae 2000, a sauna and wellness resort;
a Holland Casino branch, as well as a large park around it (Kuurpark);
two amusement parks; one focusing on popular fairy tales (Sprookjesbos);
Valkenburg is situated in a part of the Netherlands that is known for its natural environment and historical buildings. The area, although quite hilly, is perfectly suited for walks or (mountain) bike tours.
Valkenburg: World Christmas Markets, Caves and Parade
Videoproduction: Harry Winthagen
Music: Brass Band Limburg from CD Merry Xmas;
Conductor: Frans Violet; Composer Christmas Festival and Sleighride: Leroy Anderson
Composer Mary's Boy Child: Jester Hairston
Christmas City Valkenburg aan de Geul in the Netherlands is in 2013 one of the top Christmas City's and Christmas Markets in the world. This small town is the Dutch center for Christmas festivities. Valkenburg's Velvet Cave is transformed into a Christmas Market and the residence of Santa, where visitors can see his room of presents and reindeer sleigh. The cavern houses sculptures and an 18th-century chapel, as well as preserved mural drawings that date to Roman times. Marlstone products and traditional Polish handicrafts are a few of the unique items exclusive to Valkenburg's Christmas Markets. Best way to reach the Christmas town? A Christmas Express train that runs regularly between Simpelveld and Valkenburg.