Margraten

Margraten Mergraote
Town and former municipality
Flag of Margraten Flag Coat of arms of Margraten Coat of arms
Location of Margraten
Coordinates:
Country	Netherlands
Province	Limburg (Netherlands)
Municipality	Eijsden-Margraten
Area(2006)
• Total	57.70 km2 (22.28 sq mi)
• Land	57.70 km2 (22.28 sq mi)
• Water	0.00 km2 (0.00 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2007)
• Total	13,522
• Density	234/km2 (610/sq mi)
	Source: CBS, Statline.
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)

Margraten (<phonos file="146 Margraten.ogg">pronunciation</phonos>) (Limburgish: Mergraote) is a village and a former municipality in the southeastern part of the Netherlands.

On January 1, 2011, this former municipality merged with a neighbouring one, which resulted in the new Eijsden-Margraten municipality.

Preceding developments

Until 1982 the municipality with this name comprised apart from Margraten, also the hamlets Groot Welsden, Klein Welsden, Termaar and 't Rooth.

In 1982 this municipality was extended with a number of neighbouring municipalities: Cadier en Keer, Mheer, Noorbeek and Sint Geertruid. Also the village Scheulder, that until then was part of another municipality, was added.

As a result from 1982 until 2011 the municipality of Margraten comprised the following population centres, that from 2011 on are all part of nowadays municipality of Eijsden-Margraten.

Banholt Bemelen Bergenhuizen Bruisterbosch Cadier en Keer Eckelrade Gasthuis Groot-Welsden

Herkenrade Honthem Klein Welsden Margraten Mheer Moerslag Noorbeek 't Rooth

Scheulder Schey Schilberg Sint Antoniusbank Sint Geertruid Terhorst Terlinden Termaar

Ulvend Wolfshuis

American Cemetery

At Margraten the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial is situated. Established in 1960, it is Europe's third largest war cemetery for unidentified soldiers who died in World War II. 8,301 soldiers are buried there under long rows of white crosses and stars of David. All graves are adopted by locals, who attend the graves and lay flowers.

This cemetery is the final resting place for, among others, Lt. Colonel Robert G. Cole, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for action during the Normandy campaign in June 1944.

President George W. Bush visited the cemetery on 8 May 2005, as the first American president to do so.

Gallery

File:002. Netherlands American Cemetery, Gräberreihen.jpg Netherlands American Cemetery

File:Margraten-Wegkruis Termaar-Gen Hof.JPG One of the many typical "road crosses" in this Roman Catholic region

File:Margraten plein.jpg Margraten place

File:TRoeëtGans.jpg Neighbourhood 't Rooth

Persons

• Jean Bessems (1945), (Cadier en Keer), billiards; worldchampion artistic in 1985 en 1988.
• Pierre Lardinois (1924-1987), (Noorbeek), politician
• Fons van Wissen (1933-2015), (Margraten), footballer (30 caps)

External links

• Official Website