Maastricht

Maastricht is located on both sides of the Meuse, at the point where the river is joined by the Jeker [1]. Maastricht developed from a Roman settlement to a medieval river trade and religious centre [1]. Celts lived here around 500 BC, at a spot where the river Meuse was shallow and therefore easy to cross [1]. It is not known when the Romans arrived in Maastricht, nor whether the settlement was founded by them [1]. The Romans built a bridge across the Meuse in the 1st century AD, during the reign of Augustus Caesar [1]. The bridge was an important link in the main road between Bavay and Cologne [1].