Editing Maaseik (section)

===Churches, monasteries and listed houses===
The main church of Maaseik is the Neoclassical ''Sint-Catharinakerk'' (Church of Saint Catherine), built in 1840–45. The predecessor of this church was for over 300 years the seat of a powerful religious institution, the [[Chapter (religion)|chapter]] of [[Aldeneik]], which was originally based at nearby [[Aldeneik Abbey]], but in 1571 moved to Maaseik in order to escape the religious troubles of the period. The canons of Aldeneik took their treasures with them, which can now be seen in the [[sacristy]] of Saint Catherine's. In Aldeneik, all that remains of the once mighty abbey is the heavily restored ''Sint-Annakerk'' (Church of Saint Anne).

Several monasteries from the Baroque era have been preserved in Maaseik. The most notable once are the monasteries of the [[Franciscans]], the [[Order of Friars Minor Capuchin|Capuchins]] and the [[Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross|Holy Cross Canons]]. The latter church (''Kruisherenkerk'') has a [[Rococo]] interior.

Maaseik, although a small town, boasts of many listed houses, predominantly in [[Mosan Renaissance]] style. Most of the houses are built in [[brick]] in combination with soft, yellowish Limburg [[chalk]] and a much harder, blueish [[limestone]] from the [[Ardennes]] region, locally called ''Naamse steen'' ([[Namur]] stone). Along Markt, Bosstraat, Hepperstraat and Grote Kerkstraat several beautifully adorned Mosan gables can be seen, many with original [[gable stone]]s.
<gallery>
File:Aldeneik, StAnnakerk06.jpg|Saint Anne's Church, Aldeneik
File:Maaseik - Sint-Catharinakerk.jpg|Saint Catharine's Church
File:Maaseik, Markt04.jpg|Corner building Markt-Bosstraat
File:Maaseik, Bosstraat7, 1686.jpg|Bosstraat nr 7
</gallery>