Sittard

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St Michael's church on Sittard market square.

Sittard (Limburgish: Zitterd) is a city in the Dutch province of Limburg, which is the southernmost province of the Netherlands. On the east Sittard borders on Germany (municipality Selfkant, in North Rhine-Westphalia). It has some 48,400 inhabitants (including those of neighbouring villages Munstergeleen, Limbricht, Einighausen and Guttecoven). Sittard is part of the municipality of Sittard-Geleen. The city centre is located at 45 m above sea level.

[edit] History

Sittard was first mentioned in 1157. Sittard was granted city rights by the Duke of Limburg in 1243. In 1400 it was sold to the Duchy of Jülich, and remained in its possession until 1794. Sittard was a small stronghold, until a great part of it was destroyed in 1677 during the Franco-Dutch War. Under French occupation (1794-1814), Sittard was part of the Roer department. Since 1814, it has been part of the Netherlands, except for the years 1830-1839, when it joined the Belgian Revolution.

St Peter's church, Sittard.

[edit] Sights

Sittard has a small, attractive city centre with many architectural monuments, including several old churches (St Peter's, St Michael's, Basilica of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) and a few half-timbered houses. The city has retained part of its city wall. On the south-eastern side of the city centre, the St Rosa chapel crowns the Kollenberg hill. Museum "Het Domein" is situated in a converted nineteenth century school building in the city centre. It focuses on contemporary art, urban history and archeology.

[edit] Sports, education, economy

Sports

Sittard is the home of the professional football club Fortuna Sittard and of the internationally well known handball club Sittardia.

The biggest Kennedy march of the Netherlands starts and ends in Sittard.

Education

There are several schools for professional education (HBO) in the city, including faculties of the Hogeschool Zuyd and Fontys Hogescholen. Large schools for secondary education in Sittard are 'Trevianum' (HAVO and VWO) and 'Da Capo' (VMBO).

Economy

The SABIC European head office and a large DSM office are based in Sittard. Both companies have large chemical production facilities in nearby Geleen.

[edit] Well known natives

Eddy Beugels, cyclism
Rens Blom, athletics
Mike van Diem, film director
Jo Erens, singer
Toon Hermans, comedian
Wim Hof, Iceman
Francine Houben, architect, director of Mecanoo
Jan Nolten, cyclism
Jan Notermans, soccer
Huub Stevens, soccer
Arnold Vanderlyde, boxer
Joost Zweegers, singer and pianist of Novastar

[edit] Sister city

Sittard's official sister city is Valjevo in Serbia.

St Peter's church, Sittard	SABIC office, Sittard	Sittard city park	Street in Sittard centre
Museum Het Domein, Sittard	Sittard city wall	Sittard train station