The Onze Lieve Vrouweplein ("Square of Our Lady"; ; li, Slevrouweplein ) is a square in the historic center 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 ...

the Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. The square is situated south of Maastricht's pedestrianised shopping district. Well known for its many café terraces, it is a popular place with tourists and local people alike. The Onze Lieve Vrouweplein was originally named ''Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerkhof'', because it was the churchyard of the

Basilica of Our Lady In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its name ...

and the neighbouring parish church of Saint Nicholas (demolished in 1838). The Romanesque Basilica of Our Lady is famous for the statue of

Our Lady, Star of the Sea Our or OUR may refer to: * The possessive form of " we" * Our (river), in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany * Our, Belgium, a village in Belgium * Our, Jura, a commune in France * Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), a government utility regulato ...

, the 12th-century figurative capitals in the choir ambulatory, and the church treasury (''Schatkamer Onze-Lieve-Vrouwebasiliek''). In 1986, remains were discovered of a 2nd-century AD Jupiter column as part of an enclosed shrine, as well as the remnants of a former Roman

castrum In the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a po ...

dating back to c. 313 AD. The preserved archaeological excavations can be visited in the basement of Hotel Derlon (''Museumkelder Derlon''; free of charge, after obtaining permission from the hotel staff). The

European Institute of Public Administration European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe a ...

(EIPA), an EU-affiliated independent institute carrying out training and research on public administration and European policies, is located at Onze Lieve Vrouweplein. Until 1986 it occupied the so-called ''House with the Pelican'', an Art Nouveau former bank building. Since 1986 it is based in a former canon's house nearby (Onze Lieve Vrouweplein 22) and several modern premises in the courtyard of that building. The House with the Pelican became the main office for the European Centre for Development Policy Management.

Sources

Sterre der Zee
(Dutch) {{Maastricht Squares in Maastricht