This Saturday is Dag van de Architectuur (National Architecture Day) in the Netherlands. As part of this, Bureau Europa – platform for architecture and design – presents the second part of the stadswandeling (city ramble/walk) called 'En Plein Publiek', which deals with courtyards, streets, squares and bridges within Maastricht.

It includes a focus on infill development within Maastricht. Remco Beckers, who compiled the walk on behalf of Bureau Europa, says: "Due to the centuries-long status of Maastricht as a fortress, expansion was impossible. History therefore lies in layers of earth. The first city expansions were done after 1867. The demolition of the city walls on Herbenusstraat made expansion with workers' houses possible. The workers were housed in brand-new accommodations, with running water, built by De Maastrichtse Bouwvereniging (Maastricht building society) made up of the Regout, Marres, Rutten and Lhoest families."

However, the creators of this walk also want to 'pop bubbles' with their ramblings; to correct assertions that people have wrongly assumed to be true. In Part 1, for example, the Servaasbrug came up: "Many people think it is a medieval bridge. However, it is only 75 years old."

The walk leads from Bureau Europa past 15 other places to the clock and flower kiosk in Wyck. The booklet containing the walk and information is available in Dutch from Bureau Europa (located in Sphinxkwartier), or in English from their website.

Read the original article in Dutch