Near the city of Maastricht lies Mount Saint Peter, where people have been mining limestone since the Middle Ages. Over the centuries, this work resulted in an immense underground labyrinth, its walls covered in inscriptions, drawings, and other cultural-historical curiosities.
From the early 20th century, the mountain was extensively excavated for the cement industry, causing it to disappear at a rapid pace. Jan Spee († 2025), distressed by the lack of value placed on this heritage, started documenting the entire labyrinth in meticulous detail. The result of his efforts amount to no less than 21 linear meters of photographs, descriptions, maps, stories, and anecdotes.
Jan Spee’s collection has been gathering dust in the basements of a local historical center for years. With this publication, the material is once again made accessible, giving both this remarkable cultural-historical phenomenon and the extraordinary person who studied it so passionately the credit they deserve.
The book compiles the archives most compelling pieces and connects them to historical sources, shedding light on the origins and history of this unique place.
Author
Jan Spee
Photography
Jan Spee
Lithography
Marc Gijzen
Production
Wilco Art Books
Video
Judith Kuypers
Publisher
The Eriskay Connection