Kerkrade
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Template:Infobox Dutch municipality 2
Kerkrade is a municipality and a town in the southeastern Netherlands.
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Population centres
- Eygelshoven
- Kerkrade
- Kaalheide
- Bleyerheide
- Spekholzerheide
- Terwinselen
- Holz
- Rolduckerveld
- Hopel
- Chèvremont
- Haanrade
History
The history of Kerkrade is closely linked with that of the adjacent town of Herzogenrath, just across the German borderTemplate:Ref. Herzogenrath began as a settlement, called Rode, near the river Worm (or Würm in German) in the 11th century. In 1104 Augustinian monks founded an abbey, called Rolduc or Kloosterrade, to the west of this settlement.
As is the case for many parts of Limburg, Herzogenrath changed hands several times in the last few centuries. It was Spanish territory from 1661 and Austrian between 1713 and 1785. In 1815, when the kingdom of the Netherlands was formed (see Vienna Congress), the border was drawn through Herzogenrath, the western part being Kerkrade.
In the 18th century the monks of Rolduc began small-scale coal mines. More modern exploitation by others started in 1860, causing Kerkrade to grow significantly. When the Willem Sophia mine was opened around 1900, the town grew even more rapidly, absorbing old villages like Chèvremont. In the decades following 1960, all the mines in Limburg were closed.
One of the oldest buildings in the municipality is Oud Ehrenstein, a castle the origins of which lie in the 14th century.
Transportation
Train stations: Kerkrade Centrum (krd), Chevremont (cvm), Eygelshoven (egh).
Miscellaneous information
The building of a dam in the Anstel, a brook flowing west of Kerkrade, has led to the formation of a reservoir with an area of about 20 ha. This and its surroundings are very rich in flora and fauna.
Kerkrade is the home of the football club Roda JC.
References
- Template:Note Stenvert, R. et al. (2003). Monumenten in Nederland: Limburg, p. 173–178. Zwolle: Waanders Uitgevers. ISBN 90-400-9623-6.
External links
- Official Website (http://www.kerkrade.nl)
- Encyclopedia (http://www.kgv.nl/wiki/) on Kerkrade (Dutch) - a wiki using MediaWiki 1.4
Template:Province NL-Limburgde:Kerkrade es:Kerkrade li:Kirchroa nl:Kerkrade nds:Kirchroa ro:Kerkrade