Ravenstein

Ravenstein is one of the smallest towns in the Netherlands, a few streets inside a rampart on the south bank of the Maas, and its interest is jurisdictional: it was a separate lordship, not part of the Dutch Republic, held through the Cleves and later the Palatinate line, so when the Republic suppressed Catholic worship the rule did not apply here - Catholics from the surrounding Brabant villages came across the border to Ravenstein to attend mass, and the town built a large baroque church, Sint-Luciakerk, of 1735 far bigger than a town of this size would need. That independence lasted until 1795. What survives is a compact grid of brick houses, part of the rampart, a windmill on the wall, the church, and a small museum. It is walked in an hour and sits on the river cycle route.

What you actually see

• An independent lordship - outside the Republic, so Catholic worship stayed legal.
• An oversized baroque church - built in 1735 for worshippers crossing the border.
• A rampart and a mill - part of the circuit with a windmill standing on it.
• A few streets - one of the smallest towns in the country, walked in an hour.

When to go

April to October. Half a day.

Honest expectations

It is tiny - an hour covers it, and there is little in the way of services. The museum keeps limited hours. It works best as a stop on the Maas cycle route rather than a destination.

Nearby

Oss is south; Nijmegen and the Gelderse Poort are east.