Maasbracht

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Maasbracht (Template:IPA; Template:Langx Template:IPA) is a town in the southeastern Netherlands. It was a separate municipality until 1 January 2007, when it became a part of the new municipality of Maasgouw.

History

The village was first mentioned in 1265 as "de Bragth", and means "newly cultivated land near the river Maas."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Maasbracht developed along the river Maas in the Early Middle Ages. In 1294, it became part of Ambt Montfort. In 1716, it became part of the Dutch Republic.<ref name="monument">Template:Cite book</ref>

The Catholic St Gertrudis Church is a long church with double transept. The tower was built in the 14th century. It was severely damaged in 1944, and a new church was built between 1948 and 1949.<ref name="monument"/>

Maasbracht was home to 305 people in 1840. In 1934, the Juliana Canal was dug as a bypass for the unnavigable parts of the Maas. The canal transformed Maasbracht in a main harbour and it started to industrialise. Maasbracht has the largest inland harbour of the Netherlands.<ref name="plaats"/>

It was an independent municipality until 2007 when it was merged into Maasgouw. It is the capital of the municipality of Maasgouw.<ref name="plaats">Template:Cite web</ref>