About Kerkrade
Kerkrade is a city in the southernmost part of the Netherlands, located at the border with Germany. The city, in the province of Limburg, has a population of around 50,000. Kerkrade is well-known for its music festival, the World Music Contest (WMC). It’s no wonder that Kerkrade is known as the “Sound City.”
Since 2014, a new event has been added: CantaRode International Choral Festival Kerkrade. Choral music is very popular in the Kerkrade region, which is home to several outstanding choirs.
Parkstad Limburg
Kerkrade is part of the Parkstad Limburg region, formerly known as the “Eastern Mining District.” Due to their shared mining history, the cities and towns in this region have grown together into a compact urban area. Other well-known cities in the region include Maastricht, Heerlen, Landgraaf, and Brunssum. Many cultural festivals also take place in these cities. The Parkstad Limburg region has a total population of around 250,000.
History
The history of Kerkrade dates back a long way. In Roman times, this area was already inhabited. During the Middle Ages, what is now Kerkrade and Herzogenrath formed an administrative unit. Under the name Land van Rode, it was an independent part of the Duchy of Limburg.
Rolduc Abbey
The Castle of Rode belonged to the Counts of Saffenberg from the Ahrdal, who later became related to the Dukes of Limburg, which is why the later name ‘s-Hertogenrade or Herzogenrath was adopted. An important place in the history of the Land van Rode is the Rolduc Abbey. It was founded in 1104 by Ailbertus of Antoing. Today, the abbey houses a hotel and conference center, among other things.
Mining industry
The Augustinian choir monks, who lived in Rolduc Abbey for nearly seven centuries, also played a key role in the development of the coal industry in the 16th and 17th centuries. Initially, this was through open-pit mining, later followed by underground mining. Until the 1970s, Kerkrade was one of the centers of the mining industry in the Netherlands. The statue of the miner ‘d’r Joep’ in the Market square of Kerkrade still serves as a reminder of that period.
Tourism & Culture
After the closure of the coal mines, Kerkrade has found a new balance through various tourism projects. Notable attractions include GaiaZoo, the award-winning zoo. Other beautiful locations are the Botanical Garden, Castle Erenstein, Rolduc Abbey, and the Baalsbrugger Mill. Kerkrade is also located along the route of a regional steam train.
Kerkrade is a city that loves culture, especially music. For this reason, it is also known as the Sound City. Every four years, the World Music Contest (WMC) takes place in the city. This festival is known as the “Olympics of wind music.” In addition, Kerkrade is home to many music associations, choirs, and theater groups. Carnival is also a popular annual event.
Language
In the region to which Kerkrade belongs, in addition to Dutch, a lot of dialect is spoken. Among the Limburgian dialects, Kerkrade has a very distinct place. The language differs significantly from that spoken in surrounding cities and villages and shows many similarities to the dialect spoken just over the border in Germany. People from Kerkrade are generally very proud of their local language and cultivate it in poems, books, and plays.