Koestraat

Fig. 37: Location of the Koestraat

This is an off-street of the Onze Lieve Vrouweplein. This street did not have its own name until 1574, but it was described as 'street at the Church of Our Lady' (in the north)', or ‘street at the bishop's mill' (in the south), or even 'street to the Minderbroedersklooster' (in the Sint Pietersstraat, also in the south, a little further). The name Koestraat (or Coestraat) probably comes from a signboard with a cow on it (‘koe’ means cow). Every town or village had a Koestraat. When the village of Sint Pieter was added to Maastricht in 1920, the Koestraat located there was renamed Kalfstraat (a ‘kalf’ is a calf, a young cow). In the 1970s, the Koestraat in Maastricht did not have the best reputation, but many of the old cafés have now been converted into eateries and restaurants. The only remaining drinking-café, where you do not have to eat, is a blues bar called Café Duke (since 1979).

Fig. 54: The Koestraat today.

Reference: 

Schaepkens van Riemst, J., “Eenige bijzonderheden omtrent straten, pleinen en bewoners van het oude Tricht”, in: Publications de la Société Historique et Archéologique dans le Limbourg, 43 (1907), 39-369; PSHAL 67 (1931), 187-232; PSHAL 68 (1932), 71-112; PSHAL 69 (1933), 63-86.