Berkelpoort, Medieval city gate in Valkenburg, Netherlands.
The Berkelpoort is a restored city gate featuring passages with both rounded and pointed arches, built from local limestone in soft tones. The structure allows foot and vehicle traffic to pass directly through its openings, maintaining its original purpose as a passage point.
The gate was built around 1335 as part of Valkenburg's defensive fortifications, protected by a moat connected to the nearby Geul river. In 1923, architect Willem Sprenger redesigned the surrounding street to redirect traffic, altering how people moved around the monument.
The gate carries the name of Heinric van Birckelaer, preserving a direct link to the person after whom it was named centuries ago. This connection between the structure and its namesake remains visible in how locals and visitors refer to the place today.
The gate sits directly on the main street through town and is easily reached on foot while exploring the central area. You can walk right through the passages and see how traffic flows around the restored structure.
The limestone structure displays bullet holes from September 1944, bearing physical marks from World War II combat. These scars remain visible as direct evidence of the fighting that took place during the region's liberation.
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