| Official Name: | Nijswiller |
| Native Name: | Nieswieler |
| Native Name Lang: | li |
| Settlement Type: | Village |
| Pushpin Map: | Netherlands#Netherlands Limburg |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 250 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in the Netherlands##Location in the province of Limburg in the Netherlands |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Netherlands |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Limburg |
| Subdivision Type2: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name2: | Gulpen-Wittem |
| Elevation Footnotes: | [1] |
| Elevation M: | 93 |
| Area Total Km2: | 0.61 |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 725 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | CET |
| Utc Offset: | +1 |
| Timezone Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 6286 |
| Area Code Type: | Dialing code |
| Area Code: | 043 |
Nijswiller (Limburgan; Limburger; Limburgish: Nieswieler) is a village in the southern part of the Dutch province of Limburg. It is a part of the municipality of Gulpen-Wittem, and is located about east of Maastricht.[3]
The village was first mentioned in 1179 as "de Wilra sancti Dionisii". The current name means "farm of Nijs". Nijs is short for Saint Denis of Paris, the patron saint of the village.[4] Nijswiller developed in the Middle Ages along the old road from Maastricht to Aachen at the crossing with the Selzerbeek.[5]
In 1288, the Peace of Nijswiller was signed between John I of Brabant and Reginald I of Guelders after the Battle of Worringen which was the concluding part of the War of the Limburg Succession. In 1648, Nijswiller was a free heerlijkheid which did not belong to Duchy of Jülich, the Austrian Netherlands or the Dutch Republic. In 1794, it was conquered by France, and became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1814.[6]
was first recorded in 1275.[5] There is a two metre thick irregular wall in the oldest part of the castle which is probably a remnant of the original tower. In 1678, the family were forced to sell the castle, and the building started to deteriorate. In 1703, it was restored, and in 1860, it was significantly extended. Between 1934 and 1980, the castle was used by the Sisters of St. Francis of Heythuysen. In 2008, it became private property.[7]
The Catholic St Dionysius Church is a single aisled church with a little ridge turret. The nave dates from the 12th century up to the windows. Between 1895 and 1896, the church was redesigned by Pierre Cuypers. The ridge turret and windows probably date from a 1905 restoration.[5] The church used to be place of pilgrimage for German Catholics.[6]