Moelingen is a village in the municipality of Voeren, which is part of the province of Limburg in Belgium. Until 1977 Moelingen was a municipality of its own. In that year it became part of the Voeren municipality. In this village, like in all of the Belgian province of Limburg, predominantly "Limburgs" is spoken, a Low Frankish dialect, closely related to Flemish.
Geography
Moelingen is the westernmost of the six villages that together form the Voeren municipality It is located in the valley of the Meuse river and on the river Berwinne, which, a little further westward, flows into the Meuse. Further westward, across the Meuse river, the southern end of the Caestert Plateau is situated, as well as the village of Lieze, which is part of the WallonianWezet municipality. On its north side, Moelingen abuts the Belgian border with the Netherlands, just south of, a hamlet in the Dutch municipality of Eijsden-Margraten. Withuis is partly situated on the Belgian side of the border, so that it once partly belonged to the former municipality of Moelingen and by now partly belongs to the municipality of Voeren. Also on its west and its east side Moelingen more or less abuts the Belgian border with the Netherlands, as it is situated in a peak in this border. As a result, on its northeast side its neighbouring place is Mesch, an ancient village in the municipality of Eijsden-Margraten. Further on its east side its neighbouring place is Gravenvoeren, more or less the main village of the Voeren municipality. To the south Moelingen is bordering the municipality of Visé.
Sights
Our-Lady-In-Heaven Church in Moelingen has a 14th-century Gothic nave and a Romanesque tower from the 12th century, but the stucco vaults were the result of reconstruction in 1715.
The old bridge across the Berwinne was built in 1768.
History
Moelingen was formerly part of Dalham County, once an independent principality, but after 1239 a county under the Duchy of Brabant. The village was largely destroyed in 1914 during the German invasion of World War I. When it was rebuilt after the war, the streets were widened and the plaza enlarged. Until World War II the village was mainly agricultural, but since then it has become increasingly urban.
