Heerlen, the Netherlands

Nestled in the foothills of the Limburg Downs and the Eifel region, Heerlen is a special place. Although it was founded by the Romans, it has the appearance and the amenities of a city that grew up in the twentieth century.

Heerlen did not develop from a central core; it expanded outwards from the mining communities that surrounded the various coal pits dotted throughout the area. The mining industry spurred Heerlen’s growth. Within just a hundred years it had transformed itself from a small collection of hamlets with approximately 6,000 inhabitants into a city of 95,000 people. This unusual history and its situation in two stream valleys have turned Heerlen into a city in which modern architecture and facilities are interlaced with green landscape features.

Heerlen’s location on the national border of the Netherlands has also opened up splendid opportunities for its people and its administrators. One of the most striking projects thus far is Avantis, the cross-border business park developed by Heerlen and the German city of Aachen. Cross-border partnerships have extended into the field of education as well, with Heerlen’s Zuyd University and Aachen’s Fachhochschule working together closely.

Heerlen in pictures:

website: www.heerlen.nl