Maasheggen UNESCO
The Meuse hedgerows consist of long rows of centuries-old hawthorn and blackthorn hedges. They serve as property boundaries, and their prickly nature also prevents livestock from easily escaping the enclosure.
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The Meuse hedgerows consist of long rows of centuries-old hawthorn and blackthorn hedges. They serve as property boundaries, and their prickly nature also prevents livestock from easily escaping the enclosure. The Romans cursed them, the “impenetrable hedges.” They made any planned rapid advance northward impossible. Their frustration with the woven Maasheggen was so great that the Roman emperor Julius Caesar later even dedicated a passage to them in his masterpiece *Bello Gallico*.
Many centuries later, the Maas hedgerows—the oldest cultural landscape in the Netherlands—a…
The Meuse hedgerows consist of long rows of centuries-old hawthorn and blackthorn hedges. They serve as property boundaries, and their prickly nature also prevents livestock from easily escaping the enclosure. The Romans cursed them, the “impenetrable hedges.” They made any planned rapid advance northward impossible. Their frustration with the woven Maasheggen was so great that the Roman emperor Julius Caesar later even dedicated a passage to them in his masterpiece *Bello Gallico*.
Many centuries later, the Maas hedgerows—the oldest cultural landscape in the Netherlands—are still there. In fact, there is no other region in Europe where nature, landscape, economy, and culture are so visibly and enduringly intertwined. In the spring, when the hedgerows bloom profusely in white for about two to three weeks, this area is at its most beautiful. In the fall, the hedgerows turn red with berries. The Maasheggen form the oldest cultural landscape in the Netherlands. For this reason, the Maasheggen were designated a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve in 2018. It is the only such site in the Netherlands.
The Maasheggen landscape also exudes a sense of history. Not only does every tree, every shrub, and every meadow tell its own centuries-old story, but visitors can also explore sites such as the former Roman settlement of Cuijk, the oldest still-inhabited monastery in the Netherlands in Sint Agatha, Boxmeer Castle, and the lock complex in Sambeek. In addition, the Maasheggen region hosts the Dutch Maasheggen Wickerwork Championship every year.
The Maasheggen region is perfect for a day of cycling or strolling through nature. The Via Valentiniana, a bike path that largely follows the route of the ancient Roman road, runs from Maashees to Cuijk.
This text has been translated using AI.