Beek (; li, Baek ) is a town and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in the southeastern

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 ...

, in the 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 ...

. As of 2012, Beek has a population of about 16,400, of which about 8,800 live in the town of Beek. The municipality of Beek makes part of the region of

South Limburg South Limburg (Dutch: ''Zuid-Limburg'', Limburgish: ''Zuud-Limburg'') is both a COROP (statistical) region as well as a '' landstreek'' (area) of the Netherlands located in the province of Limburg. The Dutch term ''landstreek'', literally transla ...

and lies between the city of Geleen in the north and

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 ...

in the south, and lies furthermore southeast of interchange Kerensheide and the chemical industries of Chemelot. It has a slightly hilly landscape with altitudes differing between above

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardise ...

, and has two small forests: Kelmonderbos between Beek and Kelmond, and Spaubekerbos near Spaubeek. The Keutelbeek flows through and has its source in the municipality of Beek.

Population centres

Settlements in the municipality of Beek (population within brackets on 1 January 2005). Town: * Beek (8,770)

History

In 1982, Spaubeek merged with Beek and the municipality got his current size. In 2005, an

archaeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology a ...

was found between Beek and

Neerbeek Neerbeek is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Beek. The village has a population of around 2,400 people. The village used to split between the Dutch Republic and the Spanish Netherlands. History The ...

, consisting of the remainings of a settlement from 5,000 BC. Because of this, Beek is considered the eldest village in the Netherlands.

Buildings

Noteworthy buildings: * Sint-Hubertusmolen, (Mill of Saint Hubertus) in Klein Genhout, dated 1801-1802 * Sint-Hubertuskerk, (Church of Saint Hubertus) in Groot Genhout, by architect

Alphons Boosten Alphons Boosten (20 January 1893, Maastricht – 2 January 1951) was a Dutch architect, who mostly practiced in the province of Limburg. His works include several large housing complexes and more than twenty churches. Early in his career Booste ...

* Kasteel Genbroek, a castle near Geverik

Transportation

The municipality of Beek is surrounded by A2 motorway (Amsterdam-Belgian border) in the west and A76 motorway (Belgian border-German border) in the north. The municipality has two railway stations: * Beek-Elsloo railway station in the west * Spaubeek railway station in the east Beek also contains an airport: *

Maastricht Aachen Airport Maastricht Aachen Airport is a regional airport in Beek in Limburg, Netherlands, located northeast of Maastricht and northwest of Aachen, Germany. It is the second-largest hub for cargo flights in the Netherlands. As of 2016, the airport had ...

in the south

Economy

When KLM exel operated, its head office was on the grounds of

in Beek. When V Bird operated, its head office was on the grounds of the airport.Contact
" V Bird. 24 June 2004. Retrieved on 18 July 2010.

Politics

The

municipal council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...

of Beek has 17 seats. The

executive board A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiz ...

(2018-Current) consists of five persons:

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

: * Christine van Basten - Boddin, ( D66) 2015 - Current

Aldermen An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members the ...

: * Thijs van Es (BBB-NDB) * Hub Schoenmakers (BBB-NDB) * Ralph Diederen (CDA) * Hub Hodzelmans (CDA) Esther de Lange

Notable people

Pyke Koch Pieter Frans Christiaan Koch, better known as Pyke Koch (July 15, 1901October 27, 1991), was a Dutch artist who painted in a magic realist manner. Pyke Koch and the painter Carel Willink are considered to be the foremost representatives in the ...

(1901–1991), a Dutch artist who painted in a magic realist manner * Léon Frissen (born 1950), a Dutch politician, Queen's Commissioner of the province of

* Marc Borghans (born 1960), a Dutch runner * Frans Weekers (born 1967), a Dutch politician and lawyer, Mayor of Beek 2015 to 2016 *

Ralf Krewinkel Ralf Karel Hubert Krewinkel (born 12 November 1974 in Kerkrade) is a Dutch politician of the Labour Party (Netherlands), Labour Party (Partij van de Arbeid). Since 31 August 2015 he has been burgemeester, mayor of Heerlen. From 1 May 2011 till s ...

(born 1974), a Dutch politician, Mayor of Beek 2011 to 2015 * Esther de Lange (born 1975 in Spaubeek), a Dutch politician,

Member of the European Parliament A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the ECSC) first met in 1952, its ...

since 2007 * Maud Welzen (born 1993), a Dutch model

Gallery

File:Beek (Limburg)-Sint-Martinuskerk (4).JPG, Beek, Sint-Martinuskerk File:Genbroek-oostvleugel-001.JPG, Kasteel Genbroek-oostvleugel File:Hubertusmolen-10.jpg, St. Hubertus molen te Genhout File:Spaubeek-Groeve Spaubeek (13).jpg, Spaubeek-Groeve Quarry, Spaubeek

References

;Notes ;Bibliography * Nederland Dichterbij: Limburg, ''

Reader's Digest ''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wif ...

'', 1995

External links

* * {{Authority control Municipalities of Limburg (Netherlands) Populated places in Limburg (Netherlands) South Limburg (Netherlands)