Merkelbeek

Merkelbeek (Limburgish: Merkelbek) is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Beekdaelen, about 9 km northwest of Heerlen.

Merkelbeek
Village
Sint-Clemenskerk (Merkelbeek) [nl]
Seal
Merkelbeek Location in the Netherlands Show map of Netherlands Merkelbeek Location in the province of Limburg in the Netherlands Show map of Limburg, Netherlands
Coordinates: 50°57′15″N 5°56′15″E
Country	Netherlands
Province	Limburg
Municipality	Beekdaelen
Area [1]
• Total	3.42 km2 (1.32 sq mi)
Elevation [2]	81 m (266 ft)
Population  (2021)[1]
• Total	1,615
• Density	472/km2 (1,220/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	6447[1]
Dialing code	045/046

The village was first mentioned in 1283 as Merkelbeke. The etymology is unclear.^[3] Merkelbeek started in the Early Middle Ages along a brook and developed into a road village.^[4]

The Catholic St Clemens Church is a three-aisled church with built-in tower with needle spire which was built between 1876 and 1878. In 1935, the choir was replaced by a transept and choir in Gothic Revival style.^[4]

Merkelbeek was home to 309 people in 1840.^[5] It was a separate municipality until 1982, when it became part of Onderbanken.^[6] In 2019, it was merged into Beekdaelen.^[5]

Gallery

• 
  Farm in Merkelbeek
• 
  Well
• 
  Tunnel with mural