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Natural Monuments

View from D'n Observant

Natural Monuments

View from D'n Observant

Highlight • Viewpoint

View from D'n Observant

Recommended by 45 hikers out of 46

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for: Sint Pietersberg & Jekerdal

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Location: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands

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Tips

April 12, 2025

The view from D'n Observant with its star-shaped viewing platform and highest point of +170.8 m NAP is absolutely amazing. Here you can definitely feel like you are really in the mountains. When we went this week we certainly had no problems looking in all directions without the slightest obstruction. Depending on where you come from there are also beautiful views during your climb/descent. You can see the Maas valley, the ENCI quarry, the Jeker valley and the point where the Albert Canal and Maas meet. The vegetation on the way here in the spring is also very beautiful. Although it may feel like it, the hill is not natural. It was constructed with top soil from the quarry mentioned. On top of the limestone there was a top layer of 15 meters on average that was unusable and between 1939 and 1967 D'n Observant was planted with trees and shrubs to prevent the landfill from sliding and washing away. Today it is a very popular destination for hikers, runners and mountain bikers. It is also doable for the less experienced hiker and the effort is certainly rewarded by the view.

Source about the construction and the hill itself: enci-gebied.nl/recreatie/dn-observant

Under d'n Observant lies a largely collapsed limestone quarry, the Zuidelijk Gangenstelsel; the support pillars have given way due to the weight of the raised soil. An underground smuggling route from the Netherlands to Belgium once ran here.

More: nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%27n_Observant

Translated by Google •

Rob Josten 🦅

April 9, 2025

D'n Observant or stortheuvel 2 is an artificial hill on the plateau of the Sint-Pietersberg in the Dutch municipality of Maastricht with its highest point +170.8 m NAP. (Normal Amsterdam Ordnance Datum). The name is derived from the Franciscan observant monastery (Slavante), which used to be located on the Sint-Pietersberg, and also refers to the possibility of observing the surroundings from the top.

Translated by Google •

Mike

August 1, 2025

D’n Observant is an artificial hill on the Sint-Pietersberg, west of Maastricht. At approximately 157 meters above sea level, it is the highest point in the municipality of Maastricht. The hill was formed in the 1970s by dumping limestone rubble from the nearby ENCI quarry. It has since become a popular hiking destination in the region.

The view from the top of D’n Observant is impressive and expansive. In clear weather, you can see far across the city of Maastricht, the Meuse Valley, the Belgian border region, and the hills of South Limburg. You can see the silhouette of Fort Sint Pieter, the meandering Meuse River, and sometimes even the church towers of Liège in the distance.

The area surrounding D’n Observant is now part of a nature reserve with hiking trails, chalk grasslands, and unique flora and fauna. The contrast between the natural restoration areas, the former quarry, and the view over the urban landscape makes the view from D’n Observant unique: a place where nature, history, and panoramic views come together.

Translated by Google •

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Elevation 160 m

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Wednesday 5 November

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Location: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands

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View from D'n Observant

1. Fort Sint Pieter – ENCI Quarry loop from Oost-Maarland

2. ENCI Quarry – ENCI Quarry Viewpoint loop from De Karosseer

3. Jeker River at Molen Nekum – Château Neercanne loop from Sint Pieter

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