The Romans brought coins
Gouvernement aan de Maas, Maastricht
The Limburg Parliament is located in the Government Building on the Meuse. At its head is the King’s Commissioner, who in Limburg is called the Governor. The government island where the parliament meets symbolically stands in the Meuse River, reflecting the river’s great importance for the province.
It was here in 1992 that the famous Maastricht Treaty was signed. This historic treaty marked the beginning of the European Union as we know it today. Several of the signatory countries also decided to adopt a common currency: the euro.
With the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, history repeated itself. Regions were united under a common administration, and a currency was introduced. This is exactly what the Romans had already done two thousand years ago when they occupied this region. The Romans were, in fact, the very first to introduce coinage here.
Fun to know
- Tongeren the capital?
- Today, the provincial government of Limburg resides in the Government Building in Maastricht. In Roman times, however, the borders were very different: Mosae Trajectum (Roman Maastricht) belonged to the province of Belgica, with present-day Tongeren as its capital (and later to the province of Germania Inferior). The Via Belgica runs straight from Tongeren to Maastricht. The Romans’ extensive road network, stretching across all of Europe, required careful organization – all managed from the provincial administration.