Perched in a commanding position over the Waal River, the Valkhof is a lovely park and the site of a ruined palace begun by Charlemagne in the 8th century and continued by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa from 1155 (see it in better days in the Jan van Goyen painting at the museum across the way). All of it bar two side chapels was destroyed in 1796: admire the 16-sided Sint Nicolaaskapel, a rare example of Byzantine architecture in the Netherlands, and the ruined Sint Maartenskapel.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
17.77 MILES
A visit to Hoge Veluwe easily fills an entire day. Highlights include scenic cycling and hiking through pine forests and past unexpected open-drift sand…
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17.39 MILES
Nestled between trees, this striking museum has works by some of the greatest painters of several centuries, from Bruyn the Elder to Picasso. Its Van Gogh…
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9.81 MILES
Inside a 19th-century, primrose-yellow mansion used by both the British and the Germans as HQ during Operation Market Garden, this much-visited museum…
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27.9 MILES
The Roman Colonia Ulpia Traiana has been reborn as an archaeological park, an open-air museum that features faithfully reconstructed buildings to help…
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26.5 MILES
One of the finest churches in the Netherlands, this cathedral took from 1336 to 1550 to complete. The interior has late-Gothic stained-glass windows, an…
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29.5 MILES
This small but absorbing museum honours the life and work of the famous De Stijl artist Piet Mondrian (1872–1944) in the house where he was born.
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26.36 MILES
Housed in the grand, century-old St Jacob's Church, this remarkable museum has reproductions of all 29 known Bosch paintings, brought to life by an…
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27.48 MILES
For a deeper understanding of the Roman presence in the region and the ruins in the adjacent Archaeological Park, the engaging RömerMuseum is a must. In a…
Nearby Nijmegen attractions
1. Nationaal Fietsmuseum Velorama
0.08 MILES
Down by the riverfront is this museum with more than 250 bicycles: everything from 19th-century wooden contraptions and hand-propelled bikes to an entire…
0.09 MILES
Changing temporary exhibitions form a substantial part of this regional history museum, at home in a striking glass shoebox-style building by Valkhof Park…
0.2 MILES
Just east of Grote Markt, the town hall is a much-restored fairy tale in stone that dates to the 16th century. Rich and ornate, wooden carvings ornament…
0.24 MILES
Dating from the 15th century, this former Catholic convent miraculously survived the bombings of WWII intact. Temporary exhibitions focusing on city…
0.28 MILES
Thankfully, Nijmegen's sweeping market square was among the few parts of the old town to survive WWII. Open-air markets are still held here each week on…
0.29 MILES
Built in 1612 in a Dutch Renaissance style, the ornate red-brick weigh house takes pride of place on Grote Markt. It was here that merchants and traders…
0.31 MILES
An oft-overlooked gem, the Latin School stands beside Sint Stevenskerk. A fine example of Renaissance architecture dating to 1545 with sculpted figures of…
0.33 MILES
From Grote Markt duck beneath the ornate Gothic Kerkboog (1542; Church Arch) – originally with cattle grid and pit beneath to prevent pigs from the market…