Sittard
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Sittard
Zitterd | |
---|---|
City | |
South Limburg | |
Municipality | Sittard-Geleen |
Population (1 January 2011) | 37,730 |
Dialling code | 046 |
Major roads | N276, N294, N297 |
Sittard (Dutch pronunciation:
The town is part of the municipality of Sittard-Geleen and has almost 37,500 inhabitants in 2016.[1]
In its east, Sittard borders the German municipality of Selfkant (in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia).
The city centre is located at 45 m above sea level.
History
Archaeological discoveries have dated the first settlement in the Sittard area around 5000 B.C. Present day Sittard is assumed to have been founded around 850 A.D. and to have been built around a
After World War II, Sittard expanded rapidly and many new neighbourhoods were built. The coal mines in the region were the driving force of a booming economy, until closed in the 1960s and 70s. It now has large industrial zones and office premises.
Main sights
Sittard has a small historic city centre with numerous architectural monuments, including several old churches, monasteries and a few half-timbered houses. The city centre is a protected area (beschermd stadsbezicht).[2]
The most important monuments are:[2]
- St Peter's Church, 14th-16th century, Gothic style. The 16th century tower received its current steeple in 1875.
- Dominican monastery, 17th century, with the Baroque St Michael's Church
- Dominican nunnery St.-Agnetenberg, 17th century
- Reformed Church, 17th century
- Ursulines nunnery and boarding school, 16th-19th century
- Basilica of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (1875–77) and Mariapark (1891), pilgrimage sites
- The medieval city wall
- Half-timberedhouses, 16th-17th century
- The Jacob Kritzraedt house, 17th century, Mannerist style
- Watermills, 16th-17th century
- City park, 1921–27
The central market square has many restaurants and bars. The city has retained part of its
Economy
Sittard houses the
Education
There are several schools for higher vocational education and training (
Sports
Sittard is the home of the professional football club Fortuna Sittard and of the handball club Sittardia.
The biggest Kennedy march of the Netherlands starts and ends in Sittard.
Notable people
- Charles Beltjens, poet
- Eddy Beugels, cyclist
- Rens Blom, athlete competing in pole vault
- Mike van Diem, film director
- Willy Dullens, professional football player
- Toon Hermans, comedian
- Frederic Adolph Hoefer, lieutenant-general
- Wim Hof, The Iceman, motivational speaker and extreme athlete
- Leo Horn, football referee
- Francine Houben, architect, director of Mecanoo
- Jan Krekels, cyclist, Olympic champion
- Danny Nelissen, cyclist
- Jan Nolten, cyclist
- Jan Notermans, professional football player
- Rineke Dijkstra, photographer
- Huub Stevens, professional football player and manager
- Wilbert Suvrijn, professional football player
- Arnold Vanderlyde, boxer
- Joost Zweegers, singer and pianist of Novastar
- VNLpolitician
Dialect
The
Sister cities
See also
- Vansittart, surname derived from the city.
51°00′N 5°52′E / 51.000°N 5.867°E
References
- ^ "Gemeente Dashboard". sittard-geleen.incijfers.nl. Retrieved 2019-06-15.
- ^ a b c Stenvert, Ronald (2003). Monumenten in Nederland. Limburg (PDF). Rijksdienst voor de Monumentenzorg. pp. 328–339.