Houthem is a village in the

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

province of

Limburg Limburg or Limbourg may refer to: Regions * Limburg (Belgium), a province since 1839 in the Flanders region of Belgium * Limburg (Netherlands), a province since 1839 in the south of the Netherlands * Diocese of Limburg, Roman Catholic Diocese in ...

. It is a part of the municipality of

Valkenburg aan de Geul Valkenburg aan de Geul (; li, Valkeberg ) is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality situated in the southeastern Dutch Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Limburg (Netherlands), Limburg. The name refers to the central town in the ...

, and lies about 8 km east of

Maastricht Maastricht ( , , ; li, Mestreech ; french: Maestricht ; es, Mastrique ) is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. It is the capital and largest city of the province of Limburg. Maastricht is located on both sides of the ...

History

The village was first mentioned in 1096 as "apud Houlten", and means "settlement in a deciduous forest". Houthem is a village which developed in the Middle Ages in the valley of the

Geul , french: la Gueule , image = Geul river valley in Plombières, Belgium 100 0278.jpg , image_caption = The Geul valley in Plombières, Belgium , source1_location = near Lichtenbusch , mouth_location = Meuse near Bunde , m ...

. Since 1232, it belonged to the . In 1201, a

Premonstratensian The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré (), also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines and, in Britain and Ireland, as the White Canons (from the colour of their habit), is a religious order of canons regular of the Catholic Church ...

monastery was founded near the grave of

Saint Gerlach Gerlach (Gerlache, Gerlac, Gerlachus van Houthem, Gerlac of Valkenberg) (d. c. 1170) was a 12th-century Dutch hermit. His cult is centered at Houthem near Valkenburg in the south of the province of Limburg. Life The ''Vita Beati Gerlaci Eremyt ...

. Between 1661 until 1785, the walled monastery was an Austrian enclave in the

Dutch Republic The United Provinces of the Netherlands, also known as the (Seven) United Provinces, officially as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands (Dutch: ''Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden''), and commonly referred to in historiography ...

. The Catholic St Gerlachus Church used to be the main building of the nunnery. The church was destroyed in 1574, but 13th century elements remain. Between 1720 and 1727, the building was renovated and enlarged. In 1786, the nuns left and the building was auctioned in 1797. In 1808, part of the vault collapsed and the building was restored as a church. The church contains the tomb of Saint Gerlach. Houthem was home to 659 people in 1840. In 1888,

Houthem-Sint Gerlach railway station Houthem-Sint Gerlach railway station is located in Houthem, the Netherlands. The station opened in 1890 on the . Train services Houthem-Sint Gerlach station is served by Arriva Arriva plc is a British multinational public transport company ...

opened on the

Aachen Aachen ( ; ; Aachen dialect: ''Oche'' ; French and traditional English: Aix-la-Chapelle; or ''Aquisgranum''; nl, Aken ; Polish: Akwizgran) is, with around 249,000 inhabitants, the 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 28th- ...

railway line. Houthem was a separate municipality until 1940, when it was merged with Valkenburg. In 1982, it became part of the municipality of

Notable people

Rob Delahaye Rob Delahaye (born 24 June 1959) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played for MVV between 1980 and 1994, making over 300 appearances. Club career Delahaye played his entire Dutch professional career for MVV which earned him the nickn ...

(born 1959), footballer *

Jos Frissen Hubertus Josephus (Jos) Frissen ( Houthem, 3 January 1892 – Kerkrade, 20 October 1982) was a Dutch painter. Life and work Frissen was born in Houthem on 3 January 1892. He was a son of Joannes Josephus Frissen, bricklayer contractor (a company ...

(1892–1982), painter *

(died c. 1170), hermit *

Pauline van de Ven Pauline van de Ven (born 2 January 1956) is a Dutch writer and visual artist. She made her debut with Uitgeverij Balans in 1997 with the social satire ''Drijvend Paviljoen'' and wrote six novels and a number of illustrated stories. In 2014 she re ...

(born 1956), writer

Gallery

Image:Houtemkesjtièlenkèrk2.jpg, Church and castle in Houthem File:Houtemstgerlach.jpg, Street view File:Houthem-Gerlachusputje (4).JPG, Water well File:Station Houthem-Sint Gerlach3.JPG, Railway station

References

External links

* {{Authority control Populated places in Limburg (Netherlands) Former municipalities of Limburg (Netherlands) Valkenburg aan de Geul