Castle, monastery and church
Château St. Gerlach, Valkenburg
The old monastery and the manor farm on the Château St. Gerlach estate house the world-famous five-star hotel of the Oostwegel Collection. On the estate you will find French gardens, the restaurant’s vegetable and herb garden, an apiary, a vineyard, an orchard, and free-ranging Mergelland chickens.
The overwhelming natural beauty invites you to take a walk. You can already start in the freely accessible sculpture garden. In and around the monumental buildings, you will find all kinds of artworks: from sculptures in the garden to frescoes in the monastery church. It was the Romans who brought art to South Limburg. They were true masters of sculpture and painting.
Right in front of the estate runs the Via Belgica. In the surrounding area, remains of as many as five Roman villas have been found. The fertile Geul Valley was home to numerous prosperous farms, villae rusticae. Excavations show that their owners were wealthy Romans. You can read more about them on the Via Belgica display around the tree.
Discover
- Stay at the luxurious Château St. Gerlach
- Indulge yourself in the Roman spa
- Stroll through the estate gardens
- Take a pleasant break at the Via Belgica display
- Enjoy the pure cuisine in one of the restaurants
Fun to know
- A good place to live
- All this Roman activity near Château St. Gerlach points to just one thing: this was a great place to be. The Romans did not build their villas just anywhere. They often wanted to live high and dry, but still have quick access to running water. It was convenient to be close to a major road, but not too close, otherwise you were obliged to provide lodging to Roman officials. With its hilly landscape, fertile soil, and the proximity of the Geul and the Via Belgica, this was an excellent place to live.