City travel tips: Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Close to the German border is Nijmegen with its two massive steel bridges over the Waal river.  It is famous for the Battle of Nijmegen or Liberation of Nijmegen in World War II which was from from 17 to 20 September 1944, and is commemorated every year. The aim was to capture the bridges to help the British Allied forces but the battle lead to many losses.  Today however, they stand tall with the city old Roman ruins on its hill and outskirts.   

                                                     

                   

 

City port lookout tower as you enter the city off the highway

 

Walking towards the old city centre

 

The monumental Romanesque Valkhofkapel-St.Nicolaaskapel (chapel) built in 1030 and the central Nijmegen's central Valkhof Park also has the ruins of the apsis of the 12th century Romanesque Sint Maartenskapel as well. The rest of the former Valkhof castle was demolished in the 18th century as it was damaged by the French attack on Willem 5 of Oranje-Nassau who was hiding there. The Valkhof-kapel and castle were inhabited since Roman times.  

 

 

Entrance to city central park with the chapel and old ruins 

Nijmegen is  a good mix of the old and new with lavish brand shopping streets and a cobble stoned old centre square with remarkable architectural buildings and a sloping hill (quite unusual in the Netherlands) leading away from the main church Petrus Canisius to the old city.  The Latin school and monumental building dates back to 1544 and lovely old fashioned medieval lanterns are hung across the street while the upper half changes to more modern designer lamps.    Walking down the hill there are side entry steps up to the church along the way. 

 

One of the few Dutch hills to walk to the church

 

The Latin School from 1544

 

The City Hall

                                                    The main square arches from the church side

                       These lanterns line the hill and match the cobbled street  as seen in the first photo

                                                    Typical small Dutch houses in the centre

                                                            A lovely sunset on the drive home