Highlights of Nijmegen
Highlights of Nijmegen
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Ulpia Noviomagus Batavorum. That is the name the Romans used for the settlement at the Waal river around 100 AD. This makes Nijmegen the oldest city in the Netherlands! During the exchange week in January, you will have plenty of time to explore the city. Here we share some of its highlights for you to have a bit of 'voorpret' (literally 'pre-fun', the joy about the actual joy of the event that is yet to come).
Most of this information is derived from intonijmegen.com
Stevenskerk
The late Gothic St Stephens’s Church is in the heart of the charming historical centre of Nijmegen. As soon as you enter the church you will be struck by the striking interplay of lines in the architecture and the extraordinary light that enters through the stained glass windows. At the centre of the church you will find the impressive tomb of Catherine of Bourbon, built in 1512. The showpiece is the famous König organ which is frequently to be heard.
Kronenburgerpark
Kronenburgerpark, very popular among the people of Nijmegen. As soon as temperatures go up, the picnic sheets are spread out. The park is also the perfect place for a nice walk. Walk over the grass or follow the paved curvy paths along the river, the deer park, the cave with the watherfall, the old city wall, and the Kronenburgertoren.
In the 80's, Dutch singer Frank Boeijen wrote a song about the park. Can you guess what the song is about?
The Roman mask on the city isle
Across from the quay of Nijmegen (the 'Waalkade'), you find the city isle called Veur-Lent. The isle is the result of digging a secondary channel alongside the river the Waal to cope with its rising water levels. You can reach the isle by foot via the train bridge. Once you're there, have a look at Nijmegen through the eyes of this giant mask, an art work by Andreas Hetfeld, made after the Roman cavalry helmet that was found in the river and is now part of the collection of the Valkhof Museum.
St. Nicolaaskapel and the Waal bridge
Walk through Valkhofpark to the St. Nicolaaskapel, also called the Valkhofkapel. The chapel was built around the year 1000. The location is mainly used for weddings, exhibits, small concerts and funerals. Near the chapel, there is a nice viewpoint over the Waal river and the Waal bridge. The Waal bridge was opened on June 16, 1936. Four years later, Dutch combat engineers blew up the bridge to stop the German army's advance. Eventually, allied forces manage to capture the bridge during Operation Market Garden in 1944. For many of Nijmegen's citizens, crossing the Waal bridge feels like coming home.
Waal Paintings project
In 2020, the Radboud Institute for Culture and History (RICH) initiated the project Waal Paintings. Across Nijmegen, 13 murals by different artists depict a history that is no longer visible in the city: from its Roman roots in the first century AD up until the devastating bombing of the city center and Operation Market Garden during World War II. All Waal Paintings are within walking distance from each other. You can find the map and descriptions of the paintings on the website.
The mural on the left can be found at cultural centre De Lindenberg and is all the more impressive at night time.
Do something that matters: become a teacher!
This year, Radboud University has its own mural: in front of the Erasmus Building, artist Guido de Boer painted the slogan doe iets wat ertoe doet, which translates into do something that matters. The painting is part of a national campaign to raise awareness for the pressing teacher shortage in the Netherlands and to inspire students to pursue a career in teaching. On the website you can find more slogans that are used within the campaign, such as change the world of that one student, real influencers teach classes, and calls are not your calling.
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