The ENCI factory and quarry must be protected as a national monument. A new report on the cement factory in Maastricht argues for this.
The research was commissioned by Government Architect Francesco Veenstra, the Cultural Heritage Agency, the municipality and the province.
national monument
The investigation concludes that the cement quarry and factory buildings at Sint-Pietersberg are so special that they should be designated as a national monument. They also looked at a new destination for the area. According to the report, the site would be large enough to be used for various purposes.
The view must therefore remain unaffected, the authors of the report believe. The complex could serve as a recreation area. ENCI can also come into its own as catering and as a knowledge and learning place.
‘Critical’
The report, conducted by Crimson Historians & Urbanists, states, among other things, that the ENCI, as the country’s only large-scale cement producer, “has been crucial to the development and appearance of the modern, post-war Netherlands”.
Also read: Maastricht and the province ask ENCI to wait with demolition
It is not only special that many buildings, such as the 150 meter high chimney, have been preserved until now. The factory is also located in a unique landscape, according to the report. In addition, traces of centuries of limestone mining are visible on the site. “These traces contribute greatly to the heritage value.”
Demolition
The factory closed its doors in 2020. This is why ENCI Oven Complex 8 and the associated chimney are on the list for demolition. If the site is designated as a national monument, this is no longer possible. The report calls it a ‘missed opportunity’ if only the short-term burdens and constraints are considered.
Also in February 2021, Heritage Association Bond Heemschut and Stichting Werkgroep Industrieel Erfgoed Limburg already made an appeal to designate ENCI as a national monument.
Also read: ENCI must become a national monument to prevent demolition