History of Tapijn F: The area around the barracks
Explanation
Standing on the bridge over the river Jeker along Prins Bisschopsingel, we can see the wall of the Wilhelmina Bastion with ‘Wilhelmina 1768’ on its name stone. The Wilhelmina Bastion was one of the city’s old fortifications and was built in 1768-1769.
After Maastricht’s ‘fortified town’ status was removed in 1867, part of the area was given the designation of park. In 1920, the City Beautification Association was founded. This association developed the animal park and a bear pit. The bear’s night-quarters were located in the casemates of Bastion Wilhelmina.
At the north-west corner of the Tapijn Barracks, there is a bridge on a cast-iron supporting structure: the supporting structure is part of the tram-line rail bridge dating from 1910.