Archaeological research has pointed out that the current city of Roermond is the successor of a Roman settlement at the location where the rivers Maas (Meuse) and Roer (Ruhr) meet. Little is known of this period, nor of the period after it. In ca. 1215 Duke Otto II of Gelre chartered the town and made it the capital of Over-Gelre, one of the Duchy's four quarters, which roughly covered the current north of the province of Limburg. In 1218 a Cistercian convent settled in Roermond and soon after that Roermond became a flourishing center of trade and a member of the Hanseatic League. In 1559 Roermond became an episcopal city, but already in 1572, in the 80-years War, it lost this position again when it was captured by protestant troops, who lost the city to Spanish troops several times. Ultimately Roermond remained a part of the Southern Netherlands, first under Spanish rule, later under that of the Austrian Habsburgs. Roermond has changed owners several times since. From 1795 until 1815 it was annexed by France, and once again it lost its position as centre of a diocese. In 1815 it became part of the new province of Limburg in the newly founded Kingdom of the United Netherlands. After the southern provinces of this short-lived country revolted against the northern domination in 1830, Roermond was a Belgian city for nine years. Finally, in 1945 the city was annexed by Germany for a couple of months. Today, Roermond is one of Limburg's major cities.

The Munsterkerk is the most important example of late-Romanesque architecture in the Netherlands, and the last big Romanesque church that was ever built in this country. It’s the sole surviving part of the Cistercian convent that was founded in 1218. Between 1863 and 1890 the church was restored by P.J.H. Cuypers, who replaced the towers at the back and added new ones at the front.

Location: Munsterplein 1

The St. Christoffel's cathedral was built as a parish-church starting from 1410, and became cathedral in 1661. This late-Gothic building was altered many times. In the last few days of World War Two the tower was blown up by German troops, and although efforts have been made to reconstruct the tower as authentically as possible, the result looks a bit artificial. The current restoration will probably not change that.

Location: Grote Kerkstraat 29

The Reformed church or Minderbroederskerk was built as the chapel of the Franciscan monastery. It's oldest parts date from the 13th century, but the choir and most of the nave are from the 14th century, while there were numerous additions in the 15th and 16th century as well. In 1906 former town-architect P.J.H. Cuypers restored the building and reconstructed some stone vaults that had gone long ago.

Location: Minderbroedersingel 15

At first sight this is a house, although the buttresses do look a bit odd. A closer look at the back of his building however reveals a Gothic closure. This is what remains of the former chapel of the Begardenklooster, one of Roermond's oldest convents. It was founded before 1346 and closed in 1783 by order of Joseph II, emperor of Austria.

Location: Zwartbroekstraat 1

The Caroluskapel is the chapel of the former Carthusian monastery, the history of which goes back to 1376. A first chapel was built in 1398, but in its current form the chapel mostly dates from the year 1759.

Location: Swalmerstraat 52

The Carmelite convent was built, at what was then the edge of town,  in 1882. The entire complex, including the chapel in this picture, was designed by J. Kayser. In 1950 the complex was extended. Part of the enlargement was a second chapel.

Location: Venloseweg 78

Roermond is the place of birth of P.J.H. Cuypers, who was Roermond's town-architect for some time, but after that also carried out several projects in the city. Not far from where the architect was buried stands one of his lesser-known works, the episcopal tomb built in 1887.

Location: Kerkhofstraat

The Kapel in 't Zand is a pilgrimage chapel with a long tradition that goes back to 1535. In 1862 a Redemptorist monastery was built next to the chapel, which from then on was also used as the church of the neighbourhood. In 1895-1896 a new chapel was built, designed by J. Kayser. In its current state the church differs in several ways from its original state. The steeple on the roof used to be much taller, but in 1921 a storm damaged it badly. On both sides of the facade there were turrets; these were removed after another storm in 1940.

Location: Parklaan 1

The Redemptorist monastery next to the chapel dates from 1863-1866 and was designed by C. Weber.

Location: Parklaan 3

J.Th. J. Cuypers, son of P.J.H. Cuypers, was not as active in Roermond as his father, but he did design this St. Ursulakapel, the chapel of an Ursuline convent. It dates from 1906.

Location: Voogdijstraat 24

The calvinist denomination of the Gereformeerden was never big. In 1921 this small Gereformeerde kerk was built, designed by architect J. Klaarenbeek. In 1973 the church was closed and turned into a house.

Location: Kapellerlaan 71

The Heilig Hartkerk ('Church of the Sacred Heart') dates from 1923 and was designed by architect C. Franssen and his son J. Franssen. The design shows a combination of styles, with Gothic and Romanesque elements in the church itself and Baroque in the dome of the crossing-tower.

Location: Mgr Driessenstraat 4

The Heilige Geestkerk ('Church of the Holy Spirit) dates from 1956, and was designed by architect F.P.J. Peutz.

Location: Minderbroedersingel 2

Part of the Roermond municipality is the village of Herten. This H.Michaël was built designed by H.W. Valk and built in 1953-1954, replacing a church destroyed in 1945.

Location: Kerkpad 2, Herten

It's now the municipal museum but in 1853 this building in neo-Gothic style was built as P.J.H. Cuypers' house and workshop. In today's museum a hall reminds of the work of this important architect.

Location: Andersonweg 4

The bandstand in front of the Munsterkerk is one of P.J.H. Cuypers' lesser-known designs, and dates from 1885.

Location: Munsterplein