Maaseik

Maaseik is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of Limburg, called Mezeik in the Limburgish dialect. The municipality covers close to 77 square kilometres and has roughly 25,000 inhabitants, which makes it the eighth largest municipality in the province. The town lies on the left bank of the Meuse, known locally as the Grensmaas, where it borders the Netherlands, and the municipality also includes the sub-municipalities of Neeroeteren and Opoeteren. It is the seat of the administrative arrondissement of Maaseik. The town was probably founded around the year 1000, perhaps by the canons of nearby Aldeneik Abbey, which tradition says was established around 700 AD, and it received its city charter in 1244. Internationally it is known as the assumed birthplace of the Flemish painters Jan and Hubert van Eyck.