We left den Bosh early in the morning and drove to Maastricht arriving there about midday. There are 52 churches in Maastricht and the grandest of them all is Sint Servaas Basilica. It is a magnificent church with a fantastic Treasury which houses 2 floors of beautiful valuable treasures. There is a collection of Faberge eggs, gold vials which contain the bones of Saints, gold chests, beautiful pewter, silverware and glassware and ancient robes and tapestries.
Within the church is the grave of the bishop who died there in 384 and it is his name, St Servaas that the church or Basilica is named after. Emperors, kings dukes and counts prayed there. Important people liked to be buried there. Ceremonies, processions, pilgrimages, royal marriages and disasters happened within the walls of this basilica since 384. Probably the oldest church we’ve been in.

Outside the church is ornately decorated with gargoyles and intricately carved religious figures.

Maastricht is the oldest city in the Netherlands and has many beautiful old buildings and nearly 2000 monuments. The city is in two halves separated by the river Maas. There 3 bridges spanning the river and we have walked over each of them.

We walked to the top of the hill, yes there are hills in Maastricht to Fort Sint Pietersburg and the Sint Pietersburg tunnels. The views from the top of the hill are stunning.

The Helpoort (Hell's Gate) is another historical landmark and the past fortifications have shaped much of the present day city of Maastricht. We walked all along there and there is a long line of cannons.