Kunst en Cultuur

Wyck: The Artistic district of Maastricht

In Maastricht, that district is Wyck, which offers plenty of interesting streets for visitors to stroll own. This district on the ‘other side’ of the Meuse is flourishing like never before, thanks in part to some of the unique hotels, restaurants, and shops listed in this guide. But there are also plenty of galleries and art shops to be found. While they may not be world-class establishments, they are artisanal, whimsical, and eccentric. Together, these galleries, shops, restaurants, and hotels form the colourful tapestry that is the Wyck district, to which the residents, students, and generations of Maastricht locals add their own unique touch. Many of the entrepreneurs in this part of town live above their businesses and have close ties with each other and the neighbourhood.

Maasland, Nol Beckers

Antiquarians & bookshops
A quick stroll through the area will give you an idea of what you can expect. Starting with Rechtstraat: a street with a lively and unique character. The traditional frame-maker and antiquarian bookshop Maaslands delivers true craftsmanship, including hand-made frames by Gehring & Heijdenrijk, the main supplier of TEFAF. The antiquarian bookshop owned by Ton Stille is located next door, where you can step into a lovely garden and step back in time to centuries gone by. Not everything is neatly organized, but the owner knows his way around the books, prints, and old magazines. You can also find special devotional literature and erotica. Despite being polar opposites, they occupy the same space in Ton Stille’s narrow shop.

Galleries, wine & antiques
This street also contains the glass gallery of Leon Salet. This memorable Maastricht figure used to outfit the local bourgeoisie with chic custom suits, but has devoted himself entirely to his art in recent years. Other galleries include 043 and De Serre. Also worth a visit is the wine and antique shop Ruyters & De Koning. Here you can shop for antique vases and other bits and bobs, as well as an impressive selection of specialty wines, all of which are organic. They may not be cheap, but they are all of exceptionally high quality. A new gallery – Galerie Prima Vista – recently opened on Hoogbrugstraat and features a wide selection of fascinating works by Dutch artists like Stefan Bleekrode, who creates extremely detailed cityscapes using pen and ink. This gallery is certainly worth a visit.

Antiquarian Stille, Ton Stille

Must-see shops
De Verwondering, located just down the street, has stood there for nearly two decades. This shop sells a variety of wares, ranging from Indian furniture to Italian handbags to Danish glasses. While this may seem like an unusual combination, with a name like verwondering (Dutch for wonderment’), the selection makes sense. Coen Gorter’s interior design shop is located close to the railway station and is just as artistic due to the marvellous fabrics he imports from Paris and other cities. Art and interior design converge seamlessly in this shop. Clock lovers should definitely pay a visit to Patoe Atelier on the corner of Alexander Battalaan. Here, clockmaker Frans Mulders has been repairing and selling beautiful clocks in all shapes and sizes since 1984. Incidentally, this is the only place in the Maastricht region where this traditional craft is still practiced. For craftsmanship and artistry, Wyck really is the place to be.

Discover the rest at www.wyck.nl

Patoe Atelier, Frans Mulder

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