Elsloo (Limburg)

Elsloo (Limburg) is a village and former municipality in the south of the Dutch province of Limburg, which existed until 1981 and has merged into the current municipality of Stein. The governance of the municipality also included the hamlet of Catsop and the current village of Meers, the latter of which was part of the parish of Elsloo until 1932 but is now independent. Catsop is still regarded (along with the hamlet of Terhagen) as part of Elsloo.

The original Elsloo is located in the far southwest of the current settlement, near the Saint Augustine Church. This core has a protected village view and is a very distinctive place as it has managed to retain the charm of a small village despite the enormous growth of Elsloo. Parts of this old village have disappeared due to the construction of the Julianakanaal, and via a steep slope, one now finds themselves at the lower-lying canal directly from the church, while previously the church was central to the village. Due to its location at the edge of the Meuse valley, the tower rises above the valley and is thus a well-recognizable point. The church was built in 1848 by architect Dumoulin, the original church dates back to 1459 but was so dilapidated that it was demolished.

Further in the village, the newer parish church can be found, the Mary Church from 1959. This is located at the Dorine Verschureplein where shops and other facilities can also be found, such as a supermarket (with post office). East of the village lies the Beek-Elsloo station, which is located exactly between Elsloo and Beek on the railway line from Maastricht to Sittard. The physical separation from the buildings in Beek is partly made by this railway line and the A2 motorway.

A point of interest is the Castle of Elsloo, which is also located near the old village centre along the Julianakanaal. It is only a portion of the original castle, which has been washed away by the Meuse over time.
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