Last Friday, alderman Frans Bastiaens officially opened De Vijf Koppen in Maastricht. Five years after the collapse of this part of the fortress wall, the wall and the roundel have been completely restored. They are now part of a unique historical experience, together with the earthen wall – restored to its 16th century level – and the nearby Poort Waerachtig.
MTD landscape architects were involved throughout the entire process and designed the landscape structure vision and the development plan for the public space around De Vijf Koppen.
An important part of the design is the lowering of the city wall to the level of the original battlement, which makes it possible to take a walk along and through the interior of the roundel. In this way, lost time layers are made visible and tangible again, and the historical fortress wall is given a new function in the city.
The route connects the City Park, the Mgr. Nolens Park and the Faliezuster Park with each other and offers a unique experience in which the connection between loopholes, battlement and landscape becomes tangible. The project was created in close collaboration with HVN Architects, the Environmental Commission and the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands. The rich history served as a source of inspiration for a future-proof design of this special heritage ensemble.
