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The Five Heads Roundel

The Five Heads Roundel

Highlight • Historical Site

The Five Heads Roundel

Recommended by 67 hikers out of 76

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Location: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands

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2. Dinghuis, Maastricht – Vrijthof Square loop from Céramique

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3. ENCI Quarry Viewpoint – Fort Sint Pieter loop from Maastricht

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Tips

Stephan N

August 15, 2023

The name refers to the heads of 5 traitors impaled on a pyre here in 1638 to show to the Spanish enemy.

Rondeel 'De Drie Duiven' was created around 1516 during the building of a stone wall around the 'Nieuwstad', which was kidnapped by St. Peter. It is a 'sister' of the roundabout 'Haet ende Nijdt'. "De Drie Duiven" also served as a gun platform and also housed two casemates, one of which has been preserved. In 1638, to deter the enemy, the heads of five people who were executed for the "Treason of Maastricht" were displayed on this rondel. From then on the rondel was called "De Viêf Köp", The Five Heads. The roundabout has not been accessible since 2021 as a number of cracks in the outer wall have been investigated.

Translated by Google •

🇧🇪 Herwig Aertbeliën

May 20, 2022

De Vijf Koppen, also called De Drie Duiven, is a last 15th century roundel.
Together with the nearby Haet ende Nijd roundel, De Vijf Koppen formed an extension of the originally 14th-century second city walls of Maastricht. Both roundels are national monuments and are iconic parts of the Maastricht City Park.

Translated by Google •

June 16, 2025

In the sixteenth century, the city walls of Maastricht were reinforced with two roundels/bulwarks: Haet ende Nijt (1516) and De Drie Duiven. The latter was later given the name De Vijf Koppen.

The name refers to the heads of 5 traitors who were impaled on a stake here in 1638 to show them to the Spanish enemy.

It served as a gun platform and also housed two casemates, one of which has been preserved.

You can read more at restauratievestingwerkenmaastricht.nl/2e-stadsomwalling/rondeel-vijf-koppen

In the meantime, De Vijf Koppen or 'Vief Köp' has been partly restored and is definitely worth a visit.

More about this in the photos and in the video below.

Translated by Google •

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Details

Informations

Elevation 80 m

Weather

Wednesday 17 December

13°C

8°C

0 %

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Max wind speed: 23.0 km/h

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See hikes here

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Location: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands

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The Five Heads Roundel

1. Fort Sint Pieter – ENCI Quarry loop from Céramique

2. Dinghuis, Maastricht – Vrijthof Square loop from Céramique

3. ENCI Quarry Viewpoint – Fort Sint Pieter loop from Maastricht

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