In the city of Maastricht, southeastern Netherlands

 "Mozart composed his music not for the elite, but for everybody." -- Andre Rieu(*)

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(in the province of Limburg., in southeastern Netherlands) The city of Maastricht is found along the Meuse (Maas) River at the junction of the Juliana, Liège-Maastricht, and Zuid-Willems canals. Maastricht is the main city in the southeastern part of The Netherlands -- just two miles (~3 km) from the Belgian border. Maastricht is the capital of Holland’s southernmost region, Limburg. A town rich in history and culture, Maastricht boasts two wonderful town squares: Vrijthof, with Sint-Servaas Church, Sint-Jan's Cathedral and many bars, cafes and restaurants; and. Markt, home to the Town Hall and, a popular vendor market. The city’s Vestigingswerken (Old Town fortifications), are another big draw. Lively and energetic, Maastricht has Roman history, a maze of tunnel-caves. and lots of historical buildings, plus a Burgundian sophistication to its dining, a bacchanalian delight to its drinking culture, and a student-friendly street-life that's rather disproportionate to its size.

+ Once the site of the Roman settlement Trajectum ad Mosam (“Ford on the Meuse”), it was later the seat of a bishop from 382 to 721. The town was held by the dukes of Brabant after 1204, coming under the joint sovereignty of Brabant and the prince-bishops of Liège in 1284 and of Liège and the Dutch Estates-General in 1632. It was taken by the Spanish in 1579, by Prince Frederick Henry of Orange in 1632, and by the French in 1673, 1748, and 1794 -- but it did successfully resist the Belgians from 1830–32. Portions of its old fortifications -- Helpoort, the Pater Fink Tower, and 16th- and 17th-century bastions -- remain. Attacked on the first day of the German invasion of the Low Countries in 1940, Maastricht was the first Dutch town to be liberated, in 1944. Following a 1991 meeting of the European Communities that was held in Maastricht, an accord (known as the Maastricht Treaty) was signed calling for the establishment of a European Union, with common policies on economics, foreign affairs, security, and immigration. Maastricht’s landmarks include the old St. Servatius Bridge over the Meuse; the Dinghuis (former courthouse) and the 17th-century Town Hall (1658–64). The cathedral, dedicated to St. Servatius, was founded by Bishop Monulphus in the 6th century; it is the oldest church in The Netherlands -- though rebuilt and enlarged from the 11th to the 15th century). The Protestant Church of St. John, with a 75-meter) tower, originally served as its parish church. The much-restored Church of Our Lady has remnants of 10th-century crypts.
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(*)André Léon Marie Nicolas Rieu is a Dutch violinist and conductor best known for creating the waltz-playing Johann Strauss Orchestra. He and his orchestra have turned classical and waltz music into a worldwide concert touring act, as successful as some of the biggest global pop and rock music acts. (He resides in his native Maastricht.)